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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23351563">Protector</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azuki_Rose/pseuds/Azuki_Rose'>Azuki_Rose</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, Fantasy AU, also cause catra and adora are dumb gays, angella ends up babysitting, angst is here now, catra will you just admit that you like adora already, glimmer and bow want in on adventure, goblin familiar double trouble, gore/violence in ch.11, magic and adventure!, merry christmas i brought the angst, scorpia didn't learn everything in orientation, tedious slow-burn cause i'm like that, who's up for some depressing backstories?? cause i am!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 09:53:57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>102,642</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23351563</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azuki_Rose/pseuds/Azuki_Rose</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Catra's used to being alone. She's spent sixteen years in the academy, and unfortunately her only friend is her trusty goblin familiar. </p>
<p>Everything changes when one morning in the forest she stumbles upon someone...and something that seem familiar. The stranger--armed with a peculiar sword--is named Adora, and somehow she doesn't remember anything aside from her name. After meeting Adora the two of them go on a journey to find the answers to impossible questions. Slow-burn ensues along the way (and a little angst too). Fantasy AU.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Adora/Catra (She-Ra)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>187</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>300</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. One</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>heyyyyyy--i haven't written in a while, so i'm publishing this to improve my writing skills (and also to keep my brain alive while we struggle through this virus quarantine thing). i really love she-ra and the princesses of power; it's been my favorite ongoing show to watch ever since it aired. for a while i've been wanting to contribute more to this fandom, and i had this idea for a fic a couple of months back. now i've had more time to work on it. </p>
<p>if you give this fic a read, i really hope you like it!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“I know they’ve got to be around here somewhere…” Catra swatted away the pestering branch of an evergreen, narrowly evading the feisty swing it tossed back at her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The air today was fresh; frigid, even. Wisely, she had opted for bringing her thick, woolen cloak, the one that was many years older than herself and somehow always fostered a feeling of warmth and safety she did not find anywhere else. It was the perfect addition to bring on an outdoor expedition, to say the least, especially at this time of year.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Leaves crackled beneath her feet, and amidst each and every little sound that penetrated the forest’s ambience there was yet another noise; this one belonged to a snarky, confident character that hung around her shoulders. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Kitten, you’ve passed this rock </span>
  <em>
    <span>at least </span>
  </em>
  <span>three times already. Don’t you think it’s about time to head back? Shadow Weaver is going to throw a fit if she knows you decided to come out here and skip class. And you’re not exactly passing it with flying colors either.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra huffed, her breath forming a cloud of condensation before her that hung crystallized in the air. She didn’t want to go back, not yet. “I’m not going back right now, and especially not for Shadow Weaver’s stupid class. You don’t understand. They’re supposed to grow in this </span>
  <em>
    <span>exact </span>
  </em>
  <span>spot--that’s what the book said. During the second harvest moon, at the base of an ancient oak that’s been alive for at least 200 years.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra heard her familiar give a long, weary sigh. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If you say so.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She stopped short, mismatched eyes shifting back and forth in suspicion of the hilarity of this whole situation. She could have </span>
  <em>
    <span>sworn </span>
  </em>
  <span>that the oak was here; hadn't she passed it just a couple of days ago, when she had been hunting for other ingredients? Maybe the dryads were playing tricks on her, considering she had been hanging around here so often nowadays. Maybe they were looking for some mischief to stir, something to alleviate the brevity of autumn afternoons. Couldn’t they just mind their own business for once? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Whatever. I’ll just look for another ten minutes and if I don’t find anything we’ll come back later.” She tightened the strap around her chest, and the satchel attached to it thumped gently against her side. With another deep breath she was off again, this time with her notebook, pages frayed and watercolor-stained, held out before her to act as her guide. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The goblin at her ear tugged on one of the tufts of her unruly mane, their voice more genuine than before. “Alright, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Trees parted before her outstretched hand while her vision floated between the sketches she had done in her notebook and the vivid surroundings. Wait a minute: here was that tree--oh! And the nightshade bush; Catra made a mental note of where that one was for future reference. And there was the giant moss-covered boulder she’d passed before, the one with a crack in the side ever since it had been touched by lighting. It lay almost completely shrouded in the growth of underbrush, and Catra mentally applauded herself for remembrance of such a prominent landmark. Now she knew she was on the right track, and if she continued a bit more, would soon reach her destination.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She veered left at a small waterfall, and the perpetual trickling of water died down the farther Catra went into the forest. There was no other mention of another landmark within the pages of her notebook; assuming that the next sight had to be the ancient oak she’d discovered previously, she stuffed the book back into her satchel and continued on her way. She’d do her best to get there and return to class on time; maybe Shadow Weaver wouldn’t notice if she snuck into class through the back. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Something that sounded oddly like a </span>
  <em>
    <span>“thud” </span>
  </em>
  <span>confiscated Catra’s attention, and observing that it appeared to be coming from the area in which she was headed, she picked up her pace. The crackling of twigs beneath her, she thought, would most likely give her away, but when another </span>
  <em>
    <span>“thud”</span>
  </em>
  <span> and a disgruntled--maybe angry?--groan echoed through the air and into Catra’s ears, she halted, eyes narrowed and fur bristling. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finding herself behind a broadened tree trunk Catra peered out cautiously, half in surprise and half in dismay, as she watched a curious girl wave around a dangerous-looking weapon. From behind, she didn’t look so terrible: a crimson jacket, maybe leather, and brown pants that sunk into the high calves of worn boots. Nothing peculiar about her except for--</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Thud”</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra’s eyes widened in horror when she realized that the girl was hitting the tree--the ancient oak she had so studiously been looking for, actually--with what looked like an extremely long, extremely sharp sword. </span>
  <em>
    <span>She can’t do that! That--That’s a special oak, she doesn’t know what she’s doing! </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The voice at her ear was about to say something to warn her, but instead of waiting a second longer to devise a plan on what to do next, Catra leapt out of her hiding spot and into the clearing. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The girl with the sword shrieked in surprise and she quite literally vaulted, somehow landing in a defensive stance before Catra with the sword held menacingly before her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra’s heart was pounding terribly; she did not know why. Perhaps it was the visible threat of a flesh-cutting weapon? If need be she could knock this girl out without so much as laying a finger on her, but there was something off about the whole situation that she couldn’t yet decipher. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her stern voice was layered with the aggressive desire to protect the forest and all that called this place their home. “Stop hacking that tree with your sword! What are you, crazy? You’re destroying a sacred landmark! There’s tons of creatures and spirits that live here in this forest, and unlike you they actually care about nature. It’s their home.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The girl did not say anything, but rather stood her ground, startling aqua eyes blazing fiercely at Catra’s outcry. “...” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And then something fell down from the tree, landing directly on the girl’s ponytailed noggin, followed by the not-so-discreet cackling of tiny voices from up above. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What the--I told you!” The girl swung around, completely disregarding Catra, and held her sword up at the lofty branches of the oak tree. Pointing the razor-sharp tip here and there, as if to physically pinpoint the mysterious heckling that was taking place among the leaves, she added another retort, this one more interesting than the last. “Stop it, okay? That hurts!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A somewhat large acorn smacked her directly between the eyes, and she was about to take another swing at the trunk when Catra performed a liquid motion with her hand. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The sword froze, almost as if an invisible force of indescribable strength had grasped the weapon and refused to let go. The girl grunted once, thinking maybe she had experienced a sudden moment of muscle weakness, but when she realized that the sword was indeed frozen in midair, she gasped and released the handle to stumble back in shock. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The sword remained airborne a second long enough for the girl to see it hanging in the air like a puppet without strings, right before it dropped to the ground among the dead leaves. The acorn bullets whisking past her head were completely forgotten.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Was that...Did you do that?” the girl asked, turning her head just enough to see Catra slowing bringing her hand back down to her side. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra briefly debated making a sassy comment (it was thanks to the goblin who always hung around her, no doubt), but instead refrained as she considered it a bit strange that this girl seemed shaken by her ability to use magic. “Yeah. I told you to stop, and you didn’t seem like you were going to, so I decided to do it </span>
  <em>
    <span>for you.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The stranger, Catra decided, leaned toward the clumsy side; upon seeing Catra wield magic she tripped over her own boots and took a dive to the forest floor. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra walked over to the girl sprawled out on the ground and extended a hand, expecting the other person to take it. There was no movement in response to the polite gesture, and this greatly pinched Catra’s nerves. She flattened her ears against her head when snickering sounded from the creature on her shoulder, and turned to another tactic. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The acorns being thrown at you are probably sprites. They’re just teasing, but usually they only pick fights with annoying people who are bothering them or who pose a threat.” Catra’s eyes flicked back to the sword resting between the two of them, the shiny handle sparkling in the morning sun. For some reason it looked familiar, and amongst the fulgent brilliance of carved gold and the luminous gem that sparkled at the hilt’s center, it reeked of strong, untamed magic. She could </span>
  <em>
    <span>feel</span>
  </em>
  <span> it. Catra’s veins were coursing with an uncomfortable sort of adrenaline, one that stirred her mind and provoked a thousand questions all at once. “And if you’re waving </span>
  <em>
    <span>that </span>
  </em>
  <span>thing around like an idiot, I see why they decided to start a commotion.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...Sprites?” Catra’s rude remarks leaving her unfazed, the girl’s brows furrowed in confusion. She leaned back on her hands planted against the ground, tousling the fallen leaves and twigs with her circumspect movements. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Doesn’t she know what a sprite is? </span>
  </em>
  <span>“Mhm.” Catra hummed mockingly. “Forest sprites. There’s a lot of them in this particular forest, considering it’s really old. Sounds like you don’t have any where you’re from, do you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The girl seemed distant. Amongst her incoherent mumbling it was as if she were trying to piece together something that Catra had just said with another thing, but the two ideas weren’t quite fitting together. After a few moments of confusion she cocked her blonde head and laughed nervously. “Haha, funny you ask that...I...I don’t know. I can’t actually remember...where...where I’m from.”  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra wasn’t quite sure what to say. The response piqued her interest as rapidly as a spark setting fire to a field of dried grass, and so did the added reminder of magic wafting off in energy-filled torrents from the sword that obviously belonged to the stranger. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Was she worth investigating? Now that was the real question. There could be hundreds of travelers who decided to galavant through the forest in search of--spirits knew what--but Catra never paid them any mind, and neither did they her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Again the thought of knocking the girl out cold with another simple wave of her hand sprouted in Catra’s mind (she </span>
  <em>
    <span>could </span>
  </em>
  <span>make off with the sword, if she were to go with that route), but she brushed it away for the time being.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Deciding to think it over, she sauntered past the girl sprawled on the ground to bend down at the base of the oak and gather the mushrooms she had been searching for. Pushing aside soggy detritus in an effort to fully excavate the mushrooms from around the trunk with expert precision, a question managed to push itself past her tight lips. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you remember your name, at least?” This time it was an attempt at being playful, but the sarcasm that drenched her voice blocked out the saccharine geniality.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Adora.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Adora. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra filled up her satchel with the last of the fragile, bulbous growths that lined the oak, stood up, and brushed the back of her pants off before turning around to face the blonde girl yet again. “Well nice to meet you, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Adora.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Her tail curled behind her mindlessly, a deceitful smirk finding its way over her pointed canines. “Sorry to cut short this delicious meeting, but I really have to get going. Take care!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra waved over her shoulder nonchalantly, striding past Adora and away from the clearing without so much as one last, sympathetic farewell. Satisfied that she had finally found the material she had scavenged for so fiercely these past few weeks, she was doing her best to let the accomplished feeling overwhelm the urge to retrieve the sword within Adora’s hands and make off with not one, but two, treasures. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Leaves scratching against each other caused Catra’s ears to pin back against her head, and the sound of feet clumsily padding against the ground while simultaneously getting louder forced her to pick up her pace. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“W-Wait!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wait for what?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“For me!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra’s speed did nothing relatively close to slowing down.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She’s faster than she looks, Kitten~” Catra could hear the amused lilt of the goblin’s voice in her ear, and she just </span>
  <em>
    <span>knew</span>
  </em>
  <span> Adora was behind, scrambling frantically through the forest to catch up to her. They were right, she was getting close, maybe Catra should speed up-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Please!</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> A warm hand clutched at Catra’s wrist, sending a jolt of surprise coursing through her body, and Catra twisted her head to find a pair of extremely worried blue eyes staring back at her. Never before had anyone looked at her with such desperation, and to be quite honest it was very unsettling. Their despair seemed much deeper than average worry, actually, and Catra noticed that the emotion swirling violently within Adora’s eyes was akin to fear more than anything else.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The trembling of Adora’s voice betrayed the powerful grip she retained. “Please...Don’t-Don’t leave me alone.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A chilled wind blew through the forest, stirring both the leaves of the trees and whatever pity remained in Catra’s heart. It was strange, how alien the girl’s touch seemed; how warmth felt so far away and so close at the same time. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And why exactly don’t you want me to leave you alone?” Her wrist still remained tightly clutched by Adora’s hand, though she was seriously considering pulling away. Yet something wasn’t giving her freedom to do even that. Perhaps this physical touch, what connected the two together right now, was really more fragile than it appeared to be, and with the way Adora was quivering ever so slightly, Catra did not want to completely destroy any means of understanding the other girl’s state of being.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora sucked in a deep breath before straightening her stance, and it was as if she had barely realized that her grip on Catra’s wrist was a little more powerful than planned. The white knuckles persisted in giving her anxiety away, and she loosened her hold. “I’m lost. I don’t know where I am or what I’m doing here, and you’re the only one who I’ve run into since...since arriving.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra almost wanted to quirk an eyebrow mockingly or sputter out a conceited laugh, as if she’d heard multiple people spew out this line for her more than once. “Okay…?” </span>
  <em>
    <span>So what does that mean? </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before she could say anything else, Double Trouble interjected. “You’re not from around here, are you, Darling?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora did a double take, and for the first time since meeting Catra fully comprehended the fact that there was a pocket-sized, green, fork-tongued creature nestled safely near the tufts of Catra’s mane. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Raising a finger (right after dropping her sword to the ground), Adora’s words became even more incongruous than before. “...I don’t know if you know this, but there’s a small, er, green--thing?--uh, on your shoulder-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This was getting more and more interesting. “They’re my familiar. A goblin. Their name’s Double Trouble,” Catra quipped without batting an eyelash, while Adora could only stare on, alternating between both of their nonplussed expressions, her mouth agape.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“G-Goblin…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Correction</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Double Trouble raised a miniscule finger as well, and Catra had no choice but to roll her eyes. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Hob</span>
  </em>
  <span>goblin. There’s a difference that many people aren’t totally aware of, so be thankful I’m educating you. Hobgoblins are mostly helpful, just like me, and don’t always do bad things.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra crossed her arms, not bothering to glance at the creature sitting on her shoulder. “That’s debatable.” There was no </span>
  <em>
    <span>reason </span>
  </em>
  <span>to stare at Double Trouble; they had been, ever since Catra was young enough to recall memories, always there. They were the sometimes-conniving-but-also-usually voice of reason, tossing snarky remarks into her ear without reservation. Everyone knew that they were Catra’s familiar (however strange a goblin familiar may be), and so never bothered to question. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But Adora? It seemed as though she did not know what a goblin or hobgoblin was...Maybe Double Trouble </span>
  <em>
    <span>was </span>
  </em>
  <span>right. Maybe Adora wasn’t from here.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But then if she wasn’t from here, then where was she from..?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora ran a shaky hand through her hair, patted down a few wispy strands, and then took another inhale, this one done to mentally and physically stabilize herself. “So...Where are you going?” she tried, a fragile smile upturning her lips.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra’s hands wound themselves around the strap resting on her chest, and she watched Adora warily. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Where are you from…?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Strangling the leather between her fingers, she thought it best to humor Adora for the time being. When she wasn’t in a hurry she could find out more about this girl’s mysterious past later. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m headed back to the academy. It’s where I live. If you </span>
  <em>
    <span>really</span>
  </em>
  <span> want to come with--seeing that you obviously have no clue as to what the heck you’re doing and neither do I--we’ll need to get going right now. Class began a little while ago, but it doesn’t last long,” she mentioned, pivoting on her heels and glancing back only once to make sure that Adora was following. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Which, of course, she was. Exactly like a lost griffin cub would.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah, alright!” The footsteps grew louder yet again, and more than once Catra heard a slight yelp behind her as Adora (she inferred) caught a boot on the occasional tree root. “Thanks again for helping me, I don’t know what I’d do if you didn’t come along.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora had finally managed to cross an empty creekbed littered with moss-carpeted boulders, the sword she’d been carrying earlier strapped to her back with the help of a belt initially wrapped around her waist. “Oh! I never managed to catch your name, by the way.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Catra,” the other girl replied, eyes fixated ahead. In the distance she could, just barely, see the towering roof of the academy, bleak and weather-worn against the pale blue sky. “My name is Catra.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Something pulled at the hemming of Catra’s cloak, and thinking that perhaps her clothing was snagged on the limb of a nearby branch she looked toward the source, hands ready to untangle if need be. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Instead she was surprised to see Adora’s hands gripping the thick fabric, another one of those gentle, friendly (to a degree which Catra somehow found a bit irritating) smiles, directed Catra’s way. The clarity of Adora’s honesty and joy, both specifically derived from whatever was ensuing between the two of them now, was enough to make Catra’s breath hitch. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nice to meet you, Catra.” </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Two</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>so march 31st actually exists...dun dun dunnnnn...anywho, i got some more work done on the story, so have another chapter. :D</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Grabbing Adora by the shoulders and standing her off beside the protective fortress of a towering bush was pertinent to the plan.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>To be more exact, it was the plan that was still evolving in Catra’s mind as her eyes wandered Adora’s appearance, looking the other girl up and down with meticulous scrutiny. “You don’t exactly look like you’re from here, but then again you don’t look exactly like you’re not. Boots are typical. Pants are dirty enough, the red jacket-thing you have is a bit interesting. Leather? Something else? I dunno. I hate to say this, but whatever it is, it’s kind of cute.” She hummed in thought, tapping a claw against her chin. “The sword is the only thing that calls attention. Practically screams “LOOK OVER HERE”, y’know? And since this is a school we can’t have that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adora shuffled her feet, a strained expression on her face. “I don’t think I can just get rid of it though..? It’s-” She stopped short, biting her bottom lip while her eyebrows knitted together in a painful-looking way. Why did she have this sword again?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can’t remember the reason why you have it, </span>
  <em>
    <span>rightttt</span>
  </em>
  <span>; we know the whole story,” Catra waved her hand at Adora, slightly fed up with the fact that the answer always remained the same with this strange girl. “Well, first thing’s first. If anyone here sees you coming into the academy, they’re going to know you don’t go here. We’ve all known each other for years and anyone new is a stranger. It’s a stupid rule, but sneaking in outsiders is a big no-no.” Catra could feel the starting essence of a smirk weaving its impression on her lips. This could be fun. “Then again, rules were meant to be broken.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Catra quickly shimmied herself out of her cloak and wrapped it around Adora’s head, folding the hood over the latter to dowse her in shadow. She took a step back, admiring her handiwork as Adora fumbled with removing the hood. “We can’t let anyone see you, so the simplest solution would be for you to wear my cloak. It’ll act as an extra layer of you know, material buffer, something that’d make it easier for my magic to work on. If I cast an invisibility spell over you while the cloak is covering, that should take care of the sword. </span>
  <em>
    <span>And </span>
  </em>
  <span>hopefully the probability of anyone seeing you sneaking in. Oh, and remember to keep your feet tucked in so no one gets hurt.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Catra felt her ears being squished against her head as something pressed down on them. Double Trouble had crawled their way over her mane and settled on the deep umber crown, nuzzling her just enough to unsettle Catra’s haughty mood. “Trust us Darling, we’re doing you a favor.” They maneuvered themself around in the bushy fur adorning the top of their owner’s head, crooning sugar-coated words of comfort. “For things like these, sometimes a little magic is all you need. And Catra’s the perfect person for this kind of hocus-pocus.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adora nodded cautiously, but it wasn’t certain whether she was quite caught up to speed on everything that the two were saying. The cloak that Catra had been wearing transferred the warmth of the other girl’s body, she now noticed, and the feeling seeped onto her own skin. Beneath the cloak and her own jacket her heart was pounding away violently at the inside of her chest, terrified by the possibility of getting caught once they initiated their master plan.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Three rules. One: don’t wander off. Two: stick with me. Three: don’t say a word.” Catra’s tail danced behind her as she peeked over the top of one of the many hedges that lined the academy estate. “Most of the other kids are in class right now...If we’re lucky we won’t run into anyone. I’ll take you up to my room for the time being, until we figure out what we’re going to do with you next.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh come now,” the goblin sitting in Catra’s fur smirked mischievously, sharp teeth flashing in what little sunlight penetrated through the trees’ canopy of withering leaves and near-bare branches. “Obviously this adorable girl is going to stay with us. We can’t just leave her on her own, Kitten.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You up there,” Catra hissed, fur bristling as she found herself unusually upset by such a silly, insignificant comment that had absolutely no chance of happening. “I’m doing what I can, alright? I just told her to stay quiet, and now I’m going to tell you the same thing.” She pointed a finger at the two of them, and the temperature around them dropped a noticeable five degrees. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Things were quiet as Adora and Double Trouble both gulped, obviously not eager in finding out what exactly would lay in store for either of them if they managed to disobey Catra’s commands. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Catra took an inhale, raised a hand, and flourishing her extended index and thumb in Adora’s direction, sent a miniature flurry of twinkling sparks exiting her fingertips. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adora, puzzled into paralysis for a brief moment, watched as the lights emerging from Catra’s fingertips settled over herself and the cloak that the other girl had given her earlier. Just when her hands had begun to fade away and leave behind the translucent outlines of her physical body, she remembered that perhaps it would be best to follow Catra instead of marveling at the way the spell had worked so seamlessly. There would be time later to crow about how jaw-dropping Catra’s magic abilities were, she assumed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adora tried restricting her gaze from roaming over every single thing that appeared, but it wasn’t much use. The twin rows of perfectly trimmed evergreen brush lining the cobblestone pathways called to her, as did the weak trickle of students dressed in warm, russet and earthy hues who hustled underneath the alcoves to not be too late for class. And she absolutely </span>
  <em>
    <span>had</span>
  </em>
  <span> to take a moment to admire the magnificent stretches of stoic brick that meshed together to create the architectural miracle that was the academy in which Catra lived. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Muted whispering fluttered ahead of the blonde girl, and as much as she would have liked to be in on the action between her savior and the goblin familiar, she remembered that silence was all she was allowed to personify right now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Catra made her way through a gargantuan doorway, one Adora assumed could have only been built by giants (or at least with the help of the magic that was predominant in this mysterious place). The inside was just as regal as the outside; delicately placed brick and stone crafted the walls as burning torches emitted warm bursts of flame. Only tripping on her own feet once, Adora picked up the pace, and scurried after Catra as the other girl began walking up a staircase to the left. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Again a few people, some humans who appeared to be the same age as Adora and Catra (or so Adora thought) and others creatures of indistinguishable species--to be honest, she wasn’t quite sure what Catra was either--wandered the halls, paying no regard to Catra and the unseen girl who followed. Doors lined left and right, imposing and defiant, just intimidating enough for Adora to stall a few seconds and marvel at their ferocious build. </span>
  <em>
    <span>These must be the classrooms</span>
  </em>
  <span>, </span>
  <em>
    <span>since Catra said this was an academy</span>
  </em>
  <span>...</span>
  <em>
    <span>or maybe they’re the rooms people stay in? </span>
  </em>
  <span>she thought.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Catra and Adora were on the brink of turning a corner when Catra stopped dead in her tracks, and Adora, still attempting to tear her fascination away from nearly everything in their sight, was a bit slow in reacting to the sudden obstacle in front of her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Biting back the urge to release a muffled “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Oof!</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Adora stumbled backward from the collision, and Catra’s tail stood ramrod straight before her, fur electrified with alarm. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where’ve you been, Catra?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Someone else’s voice asked, one that didn’t belong to Catra herself or Double Trouble; no, it was deeper, more harsh, and very judgemental. When Adora’s feet--she looked down at the ground in a double take just to make sure--were confirmed invisible and firmly planted, she peeked over Catra’s shoulder. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was another girl, lo and behold: olive-skinned and with tight cords of brown bunched up into a ponytail similar to Adora’s, yet a bit shorter. And, for some reason, the girl was glaring daggers at Catra...Of course she couldn’t know that Adora was there, but still, her demeanor was so aggressive…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“None of your business, Lonnie,” Catra huffed, pulling the satchel that was once at her side behind her back. The fur along the nape of her neck remained standing on-end. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Y’know Shadow Weaver’s probably gonna make you recite mending spells all evening to fix the broken wands that’ve been sittin’ in her desk this past week, seeing how you’d rather be doin’ other things instead of attending class.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Catra’s snarl echoed through the quiet hallway, and Adora, despite being behind her, recoiled in fright just a bit. “I don't care about what Shadow Weaver might make me do. I do what I want. Now get out of my way.” She successfully detoured around Lonnie without so much as another glimpse the other individual’s way, but when the next comment escaped her classmate’s mouth in a spiteful retort, something frightening snapped inside Catra. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...That lackadaisy attitude probably comes from you not having anything left to look forward to, seein’ as how you’re all alone-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sound of Lonnie’s breath hitching as Catra closed in, claws extended and nostrils flaring, nearly coaxed a gasp from Adora again, but she succeeded in holding it back once more. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don't you </span>
  <b>
    <em>ever</em>
  </b>
  <span> say that about me. I’m not alone.” Catra’s fingers scraped against Lonnie’s sternum, though she really felt like she could have dug them deeper and past the flesh with the rage that was boiling beneath her own skin. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A wicked grin spread across Lonnie’s helpless face like the heavens’ valiant, contrasting switch from night to morning, and the fur along Catra’s neck, although still bristled in discomfort, wavered in its fury to settle slightly. “Right. Like anyone’s ever seen another magicat ever. But that’s probably a good thing.” Lonnie took a moment to separate herself from Catra, regain her composure, and straighten her shirt. “Give up already.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adora was unsure what this other girl was implying Catra should give up on, but whatever it was, it had undoubtedly vexed her rescuer deeply. And even though she had only known Catra for less than an hour (if she was doing the math right), it didn’t seem fair that someone, a person kind enough to help a stranger in the middle of the woods, was also the victim of...</span>
  <em>
    <span>this. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Lonnie was well gone by the time Catra’s fur was able to completely relax, and when Catra was finally ready she waved a pair of clawed fingers in the air without turning her back. “Let’s go.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The shimmering, lucid green of Double Trouble’s eyes, unblinking in all of their glory, crossed paths with Adora for a brief moment. In them she believed she glimpsed a shared bout of sympathy and sorrow, right before the little creature swiveled back around and the three continued on their way down the hall. </span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>“Here we are. It isn’t much, but it’s all I’ve got,” Catra motioned toward the space ahead, waiting for Adora to enter in behind her before closing the door and resting against it. Her back, pressed against the polished wood, felt oddly weak and in need of some physical support...</span>
  <em>
    <span>Stupid Lonnie. She’s always picking on me for no reason. I’ve never even done anything to make her hate me so much except--be me.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Double Trouble practically somersaulted off of Catra’s shoulder to scamper into Adora’s line of sight. “You can take off the cloak now, Darling! The magic is nearly worn off anyways; give that thing a few shakes and it’ll be back to musty and moth-eaten, just the way Catra likes it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Hey.” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Catra’s interjection almost seemed cautionary, but there was a hint of amusement buried beneath, and she allowed herself to smile as Adora slowly peeled off the borrowed cloak. “It’s important to me, okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The first thing to reappear was the astounded grin on Adora’s bright face, and as she lifted the hood from over her head and off the towering hilt of the sword still strapped to her back, the grin grew wider, more wondrous. “You’re incredible...I’ve never seen anything like, you know, real magic?? I mean I know what magic is, I’m not completely dumb, but I just haven’t really seen it actually be so--</span>
  <em>
    <span>magical!</span>
  </em>
  <span>” she exclaimed with shining eyes, somewhat too close again for Catra’s liking. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Double Trouble snickered across the room while Catra reached across to take the cloak back from Adora. “You’re certainly good with words, aren’t you Darling?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adora’s cheeks found themselves dusted in a light pink, but she wasn’t about to let a little embarrassment stop her from holding back the words of praise she had been meaning to give Catra ever since their meeting in the middle of the forest. “You don’t get it!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Giving no warning, she clasped Catra’s hands, unaware of the way the other girl’s fur bristled in surprise. “You’re really really </span>
  <em>
    <span>really </span>
  </em>
  <span>good at magic, Catra. Again: I haven’t seen magic done before, but you make it look super easy and that’s amazing!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was Catra’s turn to turn a darker shade, and with ears flattened down against her head she turned away just enough that she didn’t have to stare at either Adora or Double Trouble, who she was sure was smirking from one pointed ear to the other. “...Thanks.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She allowed Adora to hold her there for a moment, basking in the warmth that was the stranger’s honest, heartfelt praise. It felt...pleasant. How long had it been since someone had said something so kind to her? She could not remember the last time anything of the sort had happened. </span>
</p><p><span>“Yeah, uh--I have to go to class now, don’t want my teacher to be getting me into more trouble than I already will be, haha.” Catra backed away, and the joining of their hands faltered as their fingers fell out of each other’s embrace. “Stay here, okay, Adora? I’ll be back later; I’ll try to bring you some food or something when I have the chance. Just relax and lay low, and whatever you do, </span><em><span>do</span></em> <em><span>not </span></em><span>leave this room.” Catra deposited the satchel she’d been wearing on the desk near the window, and then pulled her cloak back on. Her hand was on the loose doorknob, eagerly grasping the metal as thoughts of Shadow Weaver lecturing her for a millionth time clouded her mind. </span></p><p>
  <span>Adora blinked, and thinking that she was to remain with the goblin who was Catra’s familiar, turned toward the bedpost where they were sitting earlier. It now revealed itself to be empty of the little guest, and when she looked back at Catra noticed the creature situated once again on her shoulder. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Well, so much for thinking about chatting with someone while Catra was gone...She’d have to make due with finding something else to entertain herself with for the next few hours. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve gotta go,” Catra whispered, already out the door. Her head and about a fourth of her earthy mane were the only things left that Adora could see (and </span>
  <em>
    <span>maybe </span>
  </em>
  <span>just a flick of Double Trouble’s long tail). </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The blonde stood in the middle of the room, feeling just as awkward, but slightly less confused, as she had before Catra found her. “Okay. See ya, I guess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The corner of Catra’s lips pulled upward, coaxing Adora’s to mimic her own without either girl even noticing. “See ya.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The doorknob twisted, the door pulled closed with a creak and a small “</span>
  <em>
    <span>click</span>
  </em>
  <span>”, and Adora was alone once more.</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <span>The halls were still empty. Being aware that class was still in session, Catra thanked whatever spirits had allowed her to come back on time before the mid-morning dismissal, yet continued padding down the hall with a bit more speed to her step than usual. Perhaps she could sneak into her seat and Shadow Weaver wouldn’t launch a levitating spellbook at her like she did the last time Catra was tardy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You seem to be in good spirits,” came a voice at her shoulder, and Catra’s eyebrows careened together at the sentiment. “You never did say why you decided to help her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You heard her,” Catra whispered back, mismatched eyes roaming the halls with extra precaution just in case anyone else like Lonnie had the irresistible urge to pick a bone with her. “She’s alone. She doesn’t know where she is or what’s going on. And I know what that’s like.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Double Trouble knew more. “Ha! You think you can fool me, but there’s undoubtedly something else about her that you’re not mentioning. I, of course, know what it is though~”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Catra kept hurrying down the hall. “Well </span>
  <em>
    <span>of course</span>
  </em>
  <span> there’s something else. No doubt you could feel it too, since you’re a goblin…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Hob</span>
  </em>
  <span>goblin.”</span>
</p><p><span>“Yeah yeah, whatever. The magic energy surrounding her is extremely strong. I can’t tell if it’s coming from her, or that giant sword she carries around,” she mused to herself, voice still low. “But if I had to guess, I’d say it’s mostly coming from the sword. And I feel like I’ve seen</span> <span>it before somewhere, but I can’t remember where, no matter how hard I wrack my brain…”</span></p><p>
  <span>The feeble patting of a very small hand against Catra’s ear caused her to feel an ounce of relief, and the two rounded a corner and continued hotfoot down the hall. They were almost there. “We’ll have time to figure it all out later tonight, Kitten. I think it may have been the right choice to bring her along, even if she is rather...unique.” </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>That’s one way of putting it.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>No more words were exchanged between them as they stopped in front of the door that separated them from Shadow Weaver’s classroom. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Allowing her lungs to fill with cold air, Catra inhaled, preparing herself for the worst that could possibly happen while simultaneously wishing for the best. Now she could really put to the test how good her stealth skills were; it wasn’t the first time this had happened.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright. Let’s do this thing.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>i'm not sure how frequently i'll be updating, maybe a couple of times a week? i guess it kind of depends on how much progress i make with the story, but as of now my free time is copious so i'll try to crank out as much reader-worthy content for y'all as i can :) </p><p>lastly, a big thank you to all of those who reviewed the last time! i always love hearing from you, and your thoughts and comments are the fuel that keep me going. &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Three</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>so adora, being the airhead she kind of is, doesn't quite think things through all the way...</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Adora flopped onto Catra’s bed (unwisely so), and feeling the sword dig into her shoulder blades she squawked, mentally chastising herself for not having taken it off earlier before throwing all her weight down and sandwiching it between the bed and her back. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Immediately sitting up she cringed, and swung her arms over her head to unloop the belt circle that had been keeping the weapon taut against her. “I forgot about this-” It was before her now, sparkling with all its glory in the dim, mid-morning sun that cascaded through the window. “Whoa…” She, for what felt like the first time, was able to finally get a really good look at it. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Where...Where did you come from?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A perfect oval, brimming with swirling shades of blue that reminded her of a cloudless azure sky, beckoned for her attention first from the middle of the sword. Sprouting from the hilt and appearing to be ready to extend themselves and fly away at any moment were a pair of golden wings, feathered and proud as they revered perhaps what was the most significant part of the weapon--the blade. It was double-edged, wickedly sharp, and stretched toward the sky with the length it possessed. Naturally, Adora wondered how on earth she was actually holding something so mystical-looking. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What can you do?” she asked it, the hilt of the weapon cradled tightly between both hands, studying it as she twisted the sword from side to side slowly. “I’ve never had a sword before.” An idea scampered through Adora’s brain, and she rose from the bed with a devilish grin. “Take that! And that! Hahaha!” The blade revolved around her in a series of choppy swings, and Adora laughed as she tore through the middles of imaginary enemies, making confident remarks and inserting delighted praises with each and every invisible foe defeated. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Something dug into her hip, sending a jolt of pain running down the side of her thigh. “Ow!” The swordplay ceased as she jumped forward, and shooting daggers the way of whatever it was that had disturbed her stunning melee (for heavens’ sake, she had been on her 57th enemy and just finished shishkabobing them through the stomach) she was surprised to see it was the same desk that Catra had laid down her satchel on. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Having disrupted the furniture enough that it not only jostled Adora but the wooden desk too, a few books sitting on the very top, once nestled safely between the comfort of two makeshift bookends, fell out of place. Adora scanned their covers, neck craning as she neared to properly read the titles. One read </span>
  <em>
    <span>Herbs, Mushrooms, Medicinal Plants, and their Countless Properties, </span>
  </em>
  <span>another </span>
  <em>
    <span>Modern Creatures and Artifacts, </span>
  </em>
  <span>another merely </span>
  <em>
    <span>Spells, </span>
  </em>
  <span>and then also a couple of more books had presented themselves, these leather bound and without titles. Adora figured maybe these last two were Catra’s own notebooks for whatever she deemed important enough to catalog, and fearing that it would be a bit disrespectful to read through the last two, she settled them back between the bookends. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It might not hurt to read a bit before Catra gets back,” she thought aloud, reaching out for the book on herbs and resting her sword on the desk in exchange. “Maybe I could learn a few things about </span>
  <em>
    <span>here</span>
  </em>
  <span>, wherever it is I am.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And so Adora read. Devouring book after book, she was ignorant in the keeping of time and how many hours had passed as the sun sank lower and lower in the sky. It wasn’t until something bumped against the door from the outside that Adora jumped, book clutched tightly against her, and heart similarly kicking anxiously against her chest. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Laughing permeated through the walls that separated her from the rest of the world, and she pulled her knees closer to herself, feeling dread pool at the bottom of her stomach. Frightened that someone would open the door and find her there, someone who wasn’t Catra--it couldn’t be that mean girl Lonnie, could it?!--she attempted to make herself even smaller, and remaining as silent as possible. The only thing she could hear afterwards was the thudding of blood in her ears and the faint chatting that echoed somewhere else within the building. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Just stay here. Don’t leave. That’s what Catra said. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Footsteps, once distant, sounded louder and shadows mingled with the light that seeped under the doorway. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora panicked when the doorknob jiggled, and within a second she’d taken the book that she had been reading with her, mind absolutely blank for a brief moment on what she was doing, and settled for dashing under the bed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Someone hissed from the other side of the door before the doorknob twisted again, slowly, painfully, and Adora watched with dread as it made a full rotation and the door creaked open. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Three pairs of feet scuttled in, the individuals shushing each other as they went, and Adora’s heart leapt into her throat when the door closed behind them and she realized that she had left something very important up on Catra’s desk. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We shouldn’t be doing this! We’re not supposed to be in here!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Quiet, Kyle. If you don’t wanna be here you should have chickened out sooner. And yet you still came.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“B-Because I was </span>
  <em>
    <span>trying</span>
  </em>
  <span> to convince you not to do this! Catra is going to get </span>
  <em>
    <span>so</span>
  </em>
  <span> mad if she finds out!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s fine if she gets mad. She’s already angry all of the time. I think she deserves some payback though after what she did to me this morning, so that’s why we’re here. She was definitely hidin’ something, being late to class and all that, and I want to know what it is.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Something roared deeply, and Adora, taken by surprise for what felt like the hundredth time that day nearly bumped her head on the underside of the bed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Exactly, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Rogelio</span>
  <em>
    <span>. </span>
  </em>
  <span>She needs to be taught a lesson. And to do that--</span>
  <em>
    <span>Kyle</span>
  </em>
  <span>” a pause, “--we’re going to take whatever it was she was hiding. She obviously went out into the forest to do something, and she had a satchel with her. It’s gotta be here somewhere…” the voice trailed off, and Adora’s panic quickened when the feet traversed across the worn carpet and toward the bed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Please Lonnie, we shouldn’t do this…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Quit your whinin’.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Something rustled on the top of the bed as the covers were pulled back, and Adora was sweating profusely by now, knowing she was mere inches from being found by Lonnie and her crew. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe she left it under the bed..?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Someone’s knees dropped to the floor, and right when Adora thought it would be the end, a squeaky voice called out semi-triumphantly, “Uh, is this it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The knees hoisted themselves back up, and Adora’s vision fixed on the three pairs of feet that had collected in front of the desk. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s not what I was looking for…” Lonnie’s voice drawled, and Adora felt her stomach drop again when she immediately knew what they had found. “But maybe that’s what we need to get her into more trouble. Spirits, how did she manage to sneak this thing in?!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It looks pretty dangerous; maybe we shouldn't touch it!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Another roar, and then Lonnie’s sardonic laugh. “She’s lucky that she’s being punished by Shadow Weaver right now. She’ll think that’s degrees better compared to how much trouble she’s going to be in when the school finds out she snuck in something like this.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lonnie, that’s not cool.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...Maybe you’re right, Kyle. Maybe we’ll keep it for ourselves and, I dunno, blackmail her or something? That sounds like a better idea.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Someone groaned. “Argghhhh no, that’s not what I meant!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Too late. I’ve already made up my mind.” One pair of feet turned around, and Adora watched as the tip of the sword swung down for a millisecond before it was hoisted back up again and out of sight.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Stifled chuckling and the creak of rusty hinges as the door closed were the last sounds that Adora heard before she was plunged into near silence once again, save for the horrible pounding within her sternum. She wanted to throw up. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>No no no no no no </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>no</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>! They took the sword--what am I going to do?! Catra has no idea, but I can’t let them use it to hurt her in any way, even if it may be by blackmailing or whatever it is they want to do! They said she’s already being punished, but what does that even mean?! Argggghh, how can this </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>possibly </em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>get </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>any</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span> worse?!</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The thoughts eddied through her head in a whirlwind, one that Adora was not sure she could handle. Who knew what Lonnie and her friends were going to do with the sword, or where they were going to take it? If Adora didn’t find out where they were going, she’d have to tell Catra later, and the guilt that had flooded her sense of being didn’t want that to happen. She didn’t want to have to make Catra do this on her own, right after finishing the other punishment Lonnie’d said she was under. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No, Catra had been brave and selfless enough to assist Adora by risking her wellbeing to bring her here. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So now Adora would do what she could, and take this matter into her own hands. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora crawled out from under the bed, stood in the middle of the room for roughly fifteen seconds just to calm the strenuous beating of her heart, and then reached for the doorknob to give it a turn. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The spacious hall ahead was empty, she realized, as she scanned the layout before her through the timid gap between the door and stone frame. It wasn’t exactly the best scenario to behold, seeing as how she was attentive in figuring out where Lonnie had made off with the sword, but it was ideal when it came to sneaking about. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Carefully Adora shut the door behind her, and although the world suddenly felt too large, she took a deep inhale and began walking down the cobbled floor. Her ears were perked for any sort of snickering reminiscent of the three voices she had heard before, and picking up her pace she rounded the corner at the end of the hall. Something flashed brilliantly in the corner of her eye, and when she turned in the direction that caught her attention, was flooded in a mixed tidal wave of relief and despair when she saw it was the sword, resting comfortably on Lonnie’s shoulder as she strode away with two other individuals. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora ducked behind an appropriately placed column manifesting itself from the body of the fitted stone academy, allowing herself the opportunity to move and weave from one hiding spot to another as she followed the three. It was a few minutes before Adora realized the sword’s captors were taking the weapon outside, through an entrance not unlike the one that Adora had entered with Catra earlier. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The grounds of the academy were nearly empty, aside from the occasional student who passed by without paying much attention, and Adora almost wished that one of the innocent passersby would have assessed the situation. Maybe if someone else would notice and question the motives of the three in a confrontation she wouldn’t have to plan each step on the fly; to be honest she wasn’t confident with any ideas she had whatsoever on how to gain back the sword. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Wait a minute -- I can’t be relying on anyone else to solve this problem for me. I’ve got to do this on my own, for Catra’s sake! </span>
  </em>
  <span>She thought after a parade of doubtful sneers crossed her mind, and clenching her fist she steeled herself. Noticing Lonnie and the others were making their way toward a small shed off in the distance, she hid behind a row of bushes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When the three disappeared into the shed, Adora took a moment to scan her surroundings for any other passerby that might be around, and when she saw that the area was empty for the time being, scrambled out from her hiding place as fast as she could. The muscles at the back of her legs burned with nervous energy as she nearly crashed into the side of the wooden shed, and she plastered herself to the wood, hands rigid against the splintered walls. The little flame of bravery she owned surged within her chest, urging Adora to push forward. She found her feet moving on their own, albeit shakily, as she crept closer and closer to the shed’s entrance. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was a thin crack between the unclosed doors, and stepping up to the entrance she placed her hands on either side, peering through with one eye as the other remained tightly shut. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Expecting to see the three who robbed her of her sword either using it to--she didn’t know--destroy imaginary enemies as she had been doing earlier, or cackle over their insidious ideas to get revenge on Catra, Adora was surprised to see nothing happening. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Absolutely nothing at all. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was no one inside. What little sun remained in the darkening sky filtered through the spaces between poorly fitted roof boards, and a number of brooms with fragmented handles and burnt or split straw littered the floor. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I could have sworn they were here...Where’d they go? </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lookin’ for something?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A shriek emanated through the tranquil, evening air as Adora leapt nearly a foot, throwing herself into the old double doors of the shed in the process. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Behind her--correction--the person now in front of her was none other than Lonnie, arms crossed over her chest and wearing a smirk identical to the one she’d given to Catra earlier in the day. A dangerous twinkle in her eyes made Adora shrivel somewhat in fear, and when a large, reptile-like individual pulled the doors from behind Adora suddenly, she stumbled backward and fell onto the dirt. There was a smaller, skinner boy cowering off to the side, not actively taking part in the ruse the other two had played. Adora thought seeing him passively standing by should have made her feel better, but it didn't.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The dirt grinding against Adora’s palm was harsh, and miniscule rocks bit into her skin as she tried to sit herself up. “H-Hi..?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lonnie advanced, forcing Adora deeper inside the shed. The doors shut behind the two of them brusquely, and the reptilian creature stood in front of Adora’s only known means of escape. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Who are you and why were you followin’ us?” Lonnie narrowed her eyes at Adora, and the latter was unsure how to answer in a way that didn’t rouse any questions. It was probably impossible though, considering even she didn’t know how to answer anything about herself aside from what her name was. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The voice that replied was not her own; it felt strange, shaky and nervous, something that didn’t seem to be a part of who she was. “I-I’m Adora.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“‘</span>
  <em>
    <span>Adora’. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Hm. Never seen you around here before,” Lonnie mused, watching as Adora tried to regain her footing. “Do you go to this school?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora, wiping off the dirt that had glued itself to her bottom, laughed nervously. “U-Uh yeah! Funny story: it’s my first day here. Haven’t really had the chance to introduce myself to everyone yet, but I thought I’d, </span>
  <em>
    <span>y’know</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” her hands now waved aimlessly in the air as she pointed to nothing in particular, “get some fresh air and explore a bit? See the school grounds, maybe make some new friends?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lonnie didn’t say anything, and instead zeroed in on Adora with slitted eyes. The look on her face caused Adora to think that Lonnie wasn’t quite buying her explanation. “How long have you been following me and my friends?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> “Only uh, I was outside and saw--er,” Adora’s eyes quickly flew over to Kyle, who was still trembling in fear off to the side amongst a stack of tattered brooms. “Kevin? That’s your name, right?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“U-Uh, no, it’s Kyle, actually.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Kyle, right! Haha um, as I was saying--I saw Kyle close the door over here and I thought to myself that you guys were maybe having a secret powwow, and I wanted in ‘cause new friends, right? And then that’s when you found me peering through the door from the outside.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora sidestepped out of the domineering conversation between herself and the skeptical Lonnie, sweat beading at the back of her neck. “I forgot though! I was here earlier this morning too and misplaced my broom, so I was just going to pick it up and I’ll be on my way after I find it, haha!” she stumbled precariously over a rusted bucket holding some old straw, and felt herself begin heating up as she knew the three were watching her as closely as a hawk watches a mouse. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well hurry it up because my friends and I have to carry on with that secret “powwow” you were talkin’ about,” Lonnie responded, arms crossed dauntingly in a manner that made Adora’s skin crawl.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Where would they hide it?? </span>
  </em>
  <span>“Sure thing!” Adora pretended to sort through some of the brooms on the floor, picking a couple up every now and then as if she were studying them intently. When none suited her taste she stood up and, eyes scanning every portion of the small shed with hastened precision, noticed something glint in the fading light out of her peripheral. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She walked toward the tiny flicker of light, and the hint of a smile teased her lips when she noticed it was coming from a larger bin filled with brooms. The torn bushels of straw from the disheveled brooms were a clever sheath, but now that Adora’s attention had been snatched, she could easily identify the glistening blade she’d familiarized herself with in Catra’s room hours earlier. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora cocked her head in the direction of Lonnie and the others, slightly relieved to see that the three of them were talking amongst themselves, only occasionally throwing concerned glances over their shoulders every now and then. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When she was certain the others were not looking, Adora plunged her hands into the bundle of brooms. Feeling her fingertips touch the cool metal handle of the sword, she allowed herself to grasp it and pull it out. She seized the handle of a broom in the process for cover, and placing the broom over the sword as means of a disguise she held the two in a vice-like grip behind her back. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay! I uh, found my broom, so I think I’ll be going,” Adora announced somewhat unceremoniously, and the three turned all their attention to her. The sword’s handle was now feeling a bit loose within her hands; her palms were getting sweaty in response to the situation. With a stupid, nervous grin on her face she waddled around Lonnie, Kyle, and Rogelio, making sure not to have her back to them.   </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She was nearly to the exit when Lonnie called out. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wait a minute--you’re hidin’ something, aren’t you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Dammit. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This girl had a knack for picking up on things, didn’t she?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Shrugging her shoulders Adora laughed, but even though she had a large grin upon her face, she felt like all her internal organs had decided to bungee jump to the bottom of her abdomen at the same time. “Oh pffft, me? Hiding something? Nooo--I’m just, uh, holding my broom. It’s not the best one around but it’s my go-to, so I gotta make sure I have it…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Maybe the spirits were seeking their share of fun, maybe they were not amused with the situation and wanted to see a bit more action--whatever it was, Adora could only label it as bad luck. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The sword’s handle, now moist with Adora’s sweat, slipped out from within her grasp at that very moment, and clattered to the ground behind her heels. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh would you look at that? I wonder how that got there-” Stooping over to retrieve the sword, Adora passed it between her hands, catching a glimpse of Lonnie’s astounded face as she looked between the weapon in her grasp and the lethal grimace ahead. Things probably weren’t going to be pretty.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I </span>
  <em>
    <span>knew</span>
  </em>
  <span> you weren’t looking for a stupid broom.” The other girl’s voice had plummeted in tone, now dangerously close to a level so icy it sent shivers across Adora’s skin. “Now give the sword here. You don’t wanna to mess with us.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The fire within Adora’s heart, the one that had kickstarted her into seeking after Lonnie and her friends as they carried the sword off, flared up again. Adrenaline started flowing through Adora’s veins, and she could easily hear the blood pounding away inside her ears again, similar to the time where she had panicked as the three intruders invaded Catra’s room and seized Adora’s property.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora waved the sword in front of her as she took up a defensive stance, feet rooted to the dirt floor in a solemn effort to stand their ground. “Sorry, but I’m not giving you this sword. It’s mine. I know you took it from Catra’s room and I’m not going to let you use it to get her in trouble or hurt her in any way.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lonnie slammed her knuckles into her palm, joints cracked in Rogelio’s neck as he loosened up, and Kyle hyperventilated in preparation for battle. It all signaled to Adora that she needed to do her very best. Not just for her own safety, but for Catra’s as well. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I don’t think I’ve ever fought anyone before, but I guess there’s a first time for everything. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With one quick movement of her foot Lonnie managed to kick up a jagged broom, which she brandished ferociously within one hand. She neared, waggling the broken object in Adora’s direction. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora gulped. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>...Here goes nothing. </span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>phew, i wonder how the fight is gonna go.... will adora successfully teach lonnie and the others a lesson? will she get her butt handed to her? will catra even know what's happening to adora??</p>
<p>find out next time (probably sometime next week), here on 'Protector' ;D</p>
<p>also if you would be so kind, a comment or review would be greatly appreciated &lt;3 my soul yEARNS</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Four</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Catra groaned with exhaustion. Before today, she didn’t think it was possible for potion cauldrons to be so...disgusting. Of course you’d use them for any magic caster’s odds and ends, depending on what was needed within the potion or to properly cast a spell. But honestly, finding more than three hardened layers of mystery grime within every single cauldron was taking nasty to a new level.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>By the time she had finished with Shadow Weaver’s cruel and unusual punishment, dinner had been long past served within the dining hall. Catra resorted to rooting around the kitchen for any scraps of the meal that were left; the staff had cleaned up and were probably relaxing somewhere on the academy grounds now, glad to be away from the kitchen for the remainder of the evening. Catra knew she’d get in trouble for being caught here unattended by kitchen personnel and scavenging for food, but the creature grumbling within her stomach was rabid. She needed food, and she was sure that if she was famished Adora had to be dying of hunger as well. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That’s right. She had someone waiting for her, probably eager to see her after so long. Thinking about seeing someone smile--on purpose, and not sarcastically at Catra--was something she felt like she didn’t mind seeing every now and then.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was something indescribable about the other girl, and it wasn’t just the sword that she carried around, as she had mentioned to Double Trouble.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With half a loaf of bread, a cluster of grapes, and a few meaty shreds of the roast left over from dinner in a tightly bundled cloth, Catra hurried back through the lonely academy halls, taking excruciating care not to bump into anyone or anything. When she reached her room she fumbled for the knob with one hand, and the food between her claws slipped from her grasp, but luckily her tail wound around to support the bundle. Thanks to her quick reflexes she quickly snatched it up before it had another chance to collide on the floor. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Double Trouble scoffed and patted her cheek before waltzing down her arm to help her turn the knob. “We don’t want to drop the goods now, Kitten. Our new friend probably won’t be too happy.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not going to drop the goods, Double Trouble. I’m not that clumsy,” Catra rolled her eyes, but a sizable portion of her being paid no heed to the snarky comment made by her familiar. Something that felt like excitement bubbled softly within her chest, and Catra nudged the door open slowly with her shoulder just enough that she and Double Trouble could squeeze through. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, sorry I was gone so long. I brought you something to eat-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra’s eyes roamed what little expanse of room she had, hoping that maybe the ponytailed head of golden hair and the person it belonged to was hiding under the blankets, or tucked up against the wall of her room with a nice book within her lap...But no. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora was nowhere to be found.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra shut the door behind her, frantic with the thought that Adora was anywhere else but here in her room, where she had told her to stay put until she returned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Where is she?” Catra paced across the room and tossed the package of food she had salvaged onto the bed, where she noticed a few of her books lying discarded. “The sword is gone too. I don’t feel it anymore.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Double Trouble had taken the chance to explore the areas under the bed, just as a precaution in case they missed any other details. No such luck in finding anything, or anyone. “She left, Kitten. Nothing more to it,” the goblin shrugged, their voice carrying with it a tone of doubt that Catra immediately decided she didn’t like. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, you’re wrong. She wouldn’t just leave like that.” ...</span>
  <em>
    <span>Would she? </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> <span>“Maybe she had other things she needed to do.”</span></p>
<p>
  <span>Catra tossed a hand up into the air, clearly exasperated with Double Trouble’s thought process. “She doesn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>have </span>
  </em>
  <span>anything else to do. She doesn’t know why she’s here. She doesn’t know anyone, or anything! She wouldn’t just leave without saying something…” </span>
  <em>
    <span>Like a goodbye, at least. Something doesn’t feel right. </span>
  </em>
  <span>“I’m going to draw a search rune.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Double Trouble crossed their arms over their chest, tail twitching behind them in a way that Catra knew was expressive of the amusement the familiar was experiencing. “Kitten, a</span>
  <em>
    <span> search rune</span>
  </em>
  <span>? You must be joking. She’s gone, let her be.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> Catra wanted to spit back a fiery retort, but instead she ignored the commiseration in Double Trouble’s voice and turned her attention to her desk. This did not feel right at all. Even though they hadn't known each other long, this didn’t seem like something Adora would do. She wouldn’t just leave without saying something, leaving a note, or maybe going to look for Catra (if she had the guts to) before galavanting off somewhere. It didn’t make sense. Not after Adora had pleaded with her that morning for Catra to bring her along, following their initial meeting in the forest. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kneeling down onto the wooden floor, Catra took a deep breath. “I think it goes like this…” She lifted both arms, and holding her index fingers together, pulled them away from each other to trace a swift, circular figure visible in faint trails of magic. Moving her fingers inside the circle she drew a few more lines, and when finished with the final touches there was a vibrant glow. Success.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Yes! </span>
  </em>
  <span>“Show me Adora.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>White light swirled and morphed into something darker, and Catra squinted her eyes, not quite sure what she was seeing because of the lack of lighting within the image manifested before her. There were small fizzles of light every few seconds from the bottom of the projection; with each flicker things grew clearer, and soon she understood she was witnessing the glinting of Adora’s sword in faint sunlight. Adora had the sword with her, thank goodness. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And then something else took form within the picture. To be more clear, they were the individuals Catra did her best to avoid on a daily basis. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lonnie, Rogelio, and the unfortunate Kyle were poised around Adora menacingly, and judging by the worried countenance on Adora’s face and the petrification of her movements, things didn’t look good.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra’s mismatched eyes scanned the rest of the image with astounding precision in an attempt to locate the whereabouts of her new friend, but all she could infer was that it was dim, isolated, and there were brooms splayed haphazardly all around. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Wait a minute--brooms? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Something clicked. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I know where they are.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The young mage stood up from the floor without another second to spare and dashed through the image created by magic. Double Trouble squeaked, barely managing to snag the edge of Catra’s cloak as she blew past at a speed the goblin couldn’t quite calculate. All they knew was that they were going incredibly fast--</span>
  <em>
    <span>too </span>
  </em>
  <span>fast, maybe--and that they were currently holding onto Catra for dear life. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mind if I ask where we’re going?” the goblin called out, cheeks flapping in the wind with what could have been semi-g-force. The rest of Catra’s tattered brown cloak fluttered behind, smacking Double Trouble in the face every two seconds. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra didn’t turn around. “Outside! Adora’s there!” was her reply, and, being content with the answer and deciding that perhaps a slap in the face every few seconds wasn’t worth provoking another question, Double Trouble remained silent.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Upon arrival, Catra skidded to a stop at the outer doors of the broom shed. Breathing forced into ragged rasping by a layer of underlying distress, Catra scraped her claws against the door of the wooden storeroom. Throwing it open in probably one of the worst grand entrances she’d been guilty of, she leapt into the shed’s cramped clearing. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Adora?!” Panicked fervor caused Catra’s voice to waver, and her eyes yet again scanned the gloomy interior she had spied only before in the search rune. “Adora!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Something snapped shut behind her, sending the fur along her back running rigid. She knew it had been the doors--a threatening, looming presence descended behind her being, and when her eyes adjusted to the dark she immediately recognized Lonnie’s disconcerting smirk and what appeared to be a very exhausted Adora slumped on the ground beside her, dimpled by splotches of black and deep purple. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lonnie stepped forward with the grip of Adora’s sword held within one hand, while the other ran calloused fingers along the rim of the blade. “Well look who showed up.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kyle sniffled something faint behind Lonnie, but with a quick elbow to the ribs she shut him up. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra, stiff with alarm and rage, sized up the other girl before her. Pfft, she wasn’t scared...not really. Come to think of it, she’d never been up against Lonnie, Rogelio, and Kyle all together at the same time, but she had no choice now…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her eyes fell on the blonde girl drifting in and out of consciousness by Lonnie’s mud-tainted boots. There was no need for Adora to have gone through all of this. And yet, </span>
  <em>
    <span>somehow</span>
  </em>
  <span>, for </span>
  <em>
    <span>some reason</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Adora had dove head-first into the category of an anomaly, and Catra still needed to find out why. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra would cut this meeting short and get Adora out of here as quickly as possible. The blueprints of a plan were formulating within her mind, albeit not a very well thought out plan.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Heat sizzled beneath her fingertips as she readied a fire spell. She hadn't had many previous opportunities to show off her fire magic, but right now seemed like a good time. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>You’ve got to be crazy!! </span>
  </em>
  <span>a voice inside her barked, but Catra only proceeded in steadying the simmering heat that pulsed heavily against her open palms. </span>
  <em>
    <span>You could burn the whole place down!! </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It wasn’t completely unlike Catra to lose her sense of control when she was angered, but seeing Adora in danger pushed her to another level she hadn't experienced before. “Lonnie, give her back the sword and let her go. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Now</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lonnie chuckled, tossed the sword from one hand to the other, and nodded her head at Adora. “So you’ve got a new friend, huh? Sorry Catra, but you havin’ a little pal isn’t gonna support my sympathy. Especially when she’s got such a sick sword like this.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With the slightest of nods the girl urged Rogelio to shove their surprise guest forward, and Catra found herself shoved closer to a diabolical Lonnie. “We were thinking we could actually use this old thing to, I don’t know, get you in a bit more trouble? Bringin’ guests in uninvited to the academy is another broken rule too. I’m sure Shadow Weaver would love to hear about that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Maybe Catra was the only one who noticed, but the energy shooting from her fingertips dripped a temperature so hot that it distorted the air around her hands. There was the disruptive blur of vision licking at the corners of her sight, and she knew she wouldn’t be able to hold her magic back much longer. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t make me use magic. I’ll do what I have to if you really don’t want to listen.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was a curt scoff that echoed through the cluttered space, and before anyone could start laughing in hilarious disbelief at Catra’s oath to incite magical punishment, she stretched out her hand, aimed down at the ground near Lonnie’s feet, and released a blast of flame that scared the living daylights out of nearly everyone in the room. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lonnie, thankfully, dropped the sword in shock, and Catra stepped forward without hesitation to scoop it up and take a more fortified stance in front of Adora. A muffled groan permeated from the blonde, but Catra’s attention was only on the three individuals--and the scorch mark--she had forced between them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her three classmates gawked at her in disbelief, and just as Lonnie was about to open her mouth yet again to gather her comrades for some form of retaliation, Catra knelt down to Adora’s level to heave up the other girl by swinging an arm around her shoulder. She stumbled for a second as she attempted to regain her balance, and despite the shouting and scuffling around her, Catra did not feel afraid. The fists (in Kyle’s case: a broom) that were headed her way were the least of her worries, and she let go of Adora’s wrist for a second to release another flame at the three. They immediately dodged, but in lieu of trying to follow their desire to stay alive, Catra’s line of fire grazed a row of brooms lying on the floor. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And those, as she predicted, took only a second to crackle and burst into more flame than she could control. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Everyone paused for the briefest of moments, as if they all just realized the direness of the situation. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And Catra, being Catra, knew it was time to take her leave. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Way to go, Kitten. This is really going to look good on your records,” a sarcastic voice muttered in her ear over the growing roar of the fire blazing around them, and Catra could only growl out a disgruntled noise of disappointment while Lonnie and her gang trampled down the broom shed door. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sweat began to bead at her forehead, and she coughed, pulling Adora through the smoke and sweltering, sporadic bursts of orange and blue sweeping around them. Spirits, she knew it had been a bad idea, but she </span>
  <em>
    <span>still</span>
  </em>
  <span> had to go and do it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Nice going, Catra.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lonnie, Rogelio, and Kyle were long gone, having the same revelation to escape as Catra did, but of course they managed to disperse from the crime scene quicker than Catra due to their lack of cargo (carrying a semi-conscious Adora, to be exact).</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Shadow Weaver’s </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>so</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span> going to kill me</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Catra fretted, hobbling over the grass with more speed than necessary. There would be time to worry about Shadow Weaver later, she then thought, eyes trained on the open doors that she and Double Trouble had used minutes earlier on their escapade to find the missing Adora. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>For now, maybe it was best to lay low until she figured out what to do next. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That, and forget about the fact that she was now a reluctant uprooter.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Were it not for the fact that she had night vision, Catra would have been fumbling around with the books that lined the shelves, toppling a row or two over and thus signaling their unwarranted presence within the library. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Thank goodness for her night vision...What was truly making things difficult was that Catra had (more than once) tried to keep a groggy Adora from eating the miniature flame she’d ignited at the end of her finger. It was a spell to provide a bit of extra light, but with the way Adora was leaning toward it and cooing little nicknames, Catra thought maybe letting the two of them walk in utter darkness wasn’t so bad an idea. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There wasn’t much choice in returning back to her room. After all, Lonnie, Rogelio, and Kyle knew she had burned down the broom shed, snuck in a weapon, and on top of that smuggled in some strange girl...Returning to her room was about as absurd as walking into the nearby village prison and begging to be thrown into a cell. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Because of this, Catra was still somewhat uncertain about what to do. For the time being, she retreated to the library amidst a rapidly darkening sky. Shadow Weaver would be looking for her sooner (if not later), and although the sorceress was a powerful one, Catra knew that she wouldn’t waste her time conjuring a search spell for someone as petty and insignificant as she. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It’s how everyone saw her. Nothing changed when it came to Shadow Weaver and the others. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra, removing Adora’s arm from around the back of her neck, set the other girl down in a propped up, seated position against a bookcase. In the academy’s library, the combination of permeating silence and darkness was eerily reassuring. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora mumbled something incoherent, and unable to tell if she were speaking to Catra or perhaps to the flame she kept lit on her fingertip, the latter bent forward. Bruises lined the sides of Adora’s jaw and temples, and her mussed hair, astray from the confines of the ponytail made her look so helpless in that moment. Catra brought the flame closer to examine anything else the three bullies might have inflicted upon her newfound acquaintance, and when she was satisfied with locating only superficial evidence of inflicted damage, she used healing magic to repair a majority of the induced blemishes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After a few moments and a final, studious examination of Adora, Catra sighed contentedly and dropped herself to the floor beside the other girl. The sword glinted at her from the ground in what little light was provided by her fire spell, and Catra’s ear twitched with the fruition of an idea.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey Double Trouble--you awake?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She was sure the hobgoblin was rolling their eyes, but the question was essential more for her own sanity than anything else. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I certainly am,” the only other awake being in the library answered her. “Why do you ask?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Watch Adora for me, will you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Instead of waiting for the familiar to reply, Catra shot up from the ground, her haunches on fire with pent-up excitement. She raced through each and every aisle, scanning book spines and slightly rusted golden plaques lining the sides of the shelves. When Catra arrived in what she assumed was the right aisle, she began pulling out books right and left that catered to her thoughts and rabid curiosity; each one contained information incredibly important and rather similar to the topic she was wishing to investigate, but it wasn’t until perhaps an hour later she finally plopped herself down on a mountain of thick, dust-covered books discarded on the floor. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Moments ago her eyes had been heavy with sleep, but after turning to a page with illustrations showing a hauntingly familiar weapon, she felt more awake than she had the entire day.</span>
</p>
<p><span>Catra scrambled down the pile of books, cursing once when she tripped and the side of her face befriended the bookshelf opposite her. Barely able to contain her enthusiasm, she raced back to Double Trouble. “I found it!”</span><span><br/></span> <span>“...Found what?” her familiar grumbled sleepily, and Catra stuck out her index again to brandish a little flame between herself and the smaller creature. She had nearly forgotten in the frenzy of her excitement that the goblin was not capable of seeing as well in the dark as she could, and extracting the thick book from under her arm she shoved it in their face. </span></p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>This</span>
  </em>
  <span>! It explains everything!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Double Trouble rubbed their eyelids and adjusted themself on Adora’s lap, uncurling their tail just enough to gain some balance and bring themself to a more appropriate sitting position. A few beats passed as their eyes roamed over the pages Catra was holding open. “...It’s the sword.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra nodded. “It is. I </span>
  <em>
    <span>knew </span>
  </em>
  <span>I’d seen it somewhere before, I just couldn’t put my finger on where...But now I remember. </span>
  <em>
    <span>This</span>
  </em>
  <span> is where I’ve seen it--in this book.” She slammed the book shut, just long enough for Double Trouble to glance at the title on the cover: </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ancient Artifacts of Olden Times. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s an ancient sword,” she began again, when Double Trouble only looked at her expectantly. “Called the Sword of Origin. See? It has the same golden wings along the hilt, and the same gem right in the middle. Apparently it was made by that one group of ancient people, the one Shadow Weaver’s mentioned more than a few times. They were called the First Ones...It has the power to tell the origin of anyone or anything.” Catra was tracing a finger over the faded title, as if by touching the words she’d somehow gain more understanding about the sword. “It says that the First Ones hid the Sword of Origin after they created it, and that it was left with a protector.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora shifted in her sleep, and both Catra and Double Trouble’s attention was shattered for a brief moment, instead suctioned to the peaceful face of their blonde friend. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...So what you’re saying is…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is Adora the sword’s protector…?” Catra finished, before reality kicked her in the noggin. </span>
  <em>
    <span>No, she can’t be. How stupid is that? This was a thousand years ago. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Look, Double Trouble.” Catra’s whispers bounced off of the bookshelves surrounding them, and the flame dancing on her fingertip quivered when she struggled with the other hand to reopen the book. “It says the sword only works for the one who wields it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And by ‘work’ you mean tell the person using it anything they want to know, I assume? How exciting.” Double Trouble studied their claws without so much as a nod in understanding, but the oscillating motion of their green tail was enough to communicate to Catra that her familiar was showing the slightest bit of interest, which was more than she had initially hoped. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Exactly. The book doesn’t say that just anyone can use it, aside from ‘the one who wields it’...And Adora is the one who has it, so maybe I can help her get it working and then maybe I’ll be able to-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before she could finish there was an interjection, and Double Trouble was now standing on Adora’s thigh pointing a fine-tipped nail in Catra’s direction. “Kitten, I know what you’re thinking. And I’m not going to say it’s impossible. But let’s be realistic: thinking about what happened today, it doesn’t seem like Adora is the sword’s protector. Lonnie and her goons knocked her out as effortlessly as swatting a fly. And you’re thinking she’s some mythical hero who can help you activate the sword to do your bidding?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The words exiting her mouth were something initiated on autopilot, and as they left her she wasn’t quite sure if she was saying them to boost her level of confidence or to convince her familiar of another plan that she did not have fully fleshed out. “If...If she’s not, then whatever. Maybe we can search for someone who knows about the First Ones and who might be the sword’s protector. We don’t have to tell her everything about why we’re doing this. I can just say that we’re trying to get her home.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Double Trouble gave her a look, one she knew too well. It coiled around her heart, forcing it into a contortion of guilt and desperation. “Are you sure?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra could only nod wordlessly as a sour knot wormed its way into her throat. Her idea sounded ridiculous when she said it, and it sounded even more absurd when Double Trouble reiterated her plans in a more shrewd manner. “Completely sure.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And what about Adora?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>What about Adora? </span>
  </em>
  <span>“We’re bringing her with us. It’s her sword. Maybe she’ll remember something about it along the way, I don’t know.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Double Trouble shrugged half-heartedly at Catra’s answer, and ambled their way over to the book that was still open within the girl’s grasp. Somewhere between the first step and the last step something changed, and their voice was considerably softer and more tender than before. Like they knew Catra wasn’t quite telling them everything she probably should have. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You know I’ll always do my best to support you. No matter what decision you make, and no matter how often I might tease you.” The goblin reached up to touch Catra’s cheek, and the tiniest fragment of warmth from their hand stirred a faint smile on her face that didn’t feel entirely honest. “With that being said, you know I’ll be by your side through it all. You understand this; right, Kitten?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The lump in Catra’s throat was swollen, enlarged with the prickling ache of a negative feeling. She hesitated, but then nodded, biting into the skin of her bottom lip. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Pull yourself together.</span>
  </em>
  <span> “I understand.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>soooo...catra, huh? ngl she's got me wrapped around her finger, even if she's got some debatable plans up her sleeve. </p>
<p>thank you again so much for reading and following! this concludes the "academy arc", so after this our girls are gonna be headed to bigger (maybe not brighter, perhaps better) things. there's a lot more beyond the walls of the academy, so i hope you continue to stay tuned. expect another update at the end of the week. ;D</p>
<p>and lastly: please leave a comment, i'll be forever grateful (and i'm being 129% honest, comments and reviews totally make my day) :')</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Five</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>into the unknownnnnnnn</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It was still night when they left.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The moon hung high in the sky, full and shining heartily, as if recently polished by a heavenly being from within the welkin. Something about the way it perched itself so haughtily made the corners of Catra’s mouth pull upward into a smile, and the shadowed craters along the bottom portion of the shimmering satellite seemed to meld together, forming a phantom grin. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The thought of Shadow Weaver waking up tomorrow (or maybe it was already the wee hours of the morning; Catra did not know) and knocking on Catra’s door only to find her room empty earned a chuckle from the girl. She was finally out of that stupid school now, once and for all. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Goodbye Shadow Weaver and her outrageous spellbook rocket-launching. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Goodbye Lonnie and her need to always bully Catra each spare moment of the day.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Goodbye Kyle and Rogelio and everyone else who had ever been around, simply reminding Catra that she was always alone. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Something else called to her now. Something bigger, and today it had come to her in the form of Adora; Adora waving around a sword suspiciously resembling something straight out of an archived library book. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was hope to find an answer to the question she harbored, and that alone was all the incentive that Catra needed in order to leave behind the academy. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Actually, that wasn’t completely true--accidentally burning down the school’s broom shed added another bullet to her list of “Reasons Why I Need to Leave”. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Something thumped behind her, sounding as if an object had rammed itself into the trunk of an abiding tree. Catra’s ears quickly flattened against her head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ooof! Catra, can you slow down a bit? I can’t see very well. Correction-” Another loud,  tumultuous “</span>
  <em>
    <span>thump</span>
  </em>
  <span>”. “I can’t see at all.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can see this going downhill so hilariously fast...” Double Trouble’s voice floated over the din of Adora’s perpetual bustling, and Catra’s groan filled the night air. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What else was I supposed to do? We said we wouldn’t leave her by herself, and we kinda need her if she has the sword-”</span>
</p>
<p><span>“Whatcha guys talking about?”</span><span><br/></span> <span>“Nothing!” Catra quipped, shooting Adora a fake smile. “Keep following, okay? Just try not to bodyslam into any more trees.”</span></p>
<p>
  <span>Adora sighed, but listened as Catra whirled around and continued making her way through the forest again, pushing past brush and overhanging branches as she went. “It’s not like I actually </span>
  <em>
    <span>want </span>
  </em>
  <span>to bodyslam into giant blocks of wood. Say, you never told me where we were going, by the way.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra didn’t turn around. “We’re going to help you find out where you’re from. I think the Highlands would be our best bet. It’s a bit far, but from what I read in the library there’s bound to be helpful clues about your sword within that area.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If Catra were being entirely honest (which she wasn’t), she would have communicated something very different to Adora, such as what locations would have a higher chance of harboring First Ones relics or ruins. But being uncomfortable with sharing the plan she’d whole-heartedly developed alone with nothing more than a condoling affirmation from Double Trouble, Catra wasn’t about to tell Adora the real reason they were leaving the academy. It was by far a more self-centered approach than Adora could assume, one that even thinking too deeply about at times made Catra feel slightly culpable. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was almost both a blessing and a curse that Adora could literally not remember anything about her past; it made things easier for Catra to sheath the truth behind soothing, urbane words that she rendered to “assist” Adora. Catra’s goal wasn’t to reach a remaining First Ones village in the Highlands; there were none left, and everyone knew that. If they were to find anything there it’d be mutilated remnants of an era long past gone, hardly worth shedding any light on Adora’s situation.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>First Ones were extinct, having died out a thousand years ago after the war. Catra realized, after pilfering through the book she’d discovered in the library not too long before, was that whatever remained of the First Ones was scattered, and little to none. Their hopeful journey to the Highlands would allow them to garner what she believed would be--if anything--a granule of information that would aid in helping Adora find her home, but Catra wasn’t ecstatic about the idea that their galavanting adventure could take a turn to revolve around Adora. She was selfish like that...but after living in an academy for sixteen years with no one besides a snippety hobgoblin to watch her back, she learned she had to look after herself first and foremost. And the Highlands, </span>
  <em>
    <span>her </span>
  </em>
  <span>destination for ulterior reasons, held special meaning to her. Even though she’d never been there herself, she stored enough knowledge in her brain thanks to countless hours of Shadow Weaver’s droning in their history courses to remember that the Highlands was a place sacred to magical beings similar to Catra. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And just her luck, once upon a time it was also a place where First Ones dwelled too. So there she had it--what she wasn’t telling Adora was little more than a harmless fact about there not being much evidence to be found within the Highlands, and inwardly she doubted it’d end up changing the course of their journey, if Adora </span>
  <em>
    <span>did</span>
  </em>
  <span> happen to find out Catra’s selfish motives.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She just couldn't find it within herself to tell Adora the truth yet. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She wondered if there would ever be a time when she’d summon enough courage to do so.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra didn’t talk much to Adora or Double Trouble as continued to traverse through brush illuminated by moonlight, but when wisps appeared, dainty and wavering in their pathway, or when twigs crunched and something rushed past in front of them, Catra sidled up next to Adora, prepared to face the unknown with fangs bared. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Every little bump in the night deemed nothing serious, much to Catra’s relief. Maybe the spirits were watching over them during their nocturnal stroll. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And maybe, just like it did once every blue moon, Catra’s luck had switched from bad into something more welcome.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A few hours were spent walking before Catra finally announced that they take a break and settle for the night. There was a particularly large tree that she had spotted, and after gazing up at the stars for a minute to assess and confirm they were going in the right direction, she hoisted herself up on a branch. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Climbing was second-nature for Catra. In no more than a split second she had swung herself nearly ten feet above Adora’s head, even with the added weight of some food supplies and utilities tied carefully across her back. Peering down she noticed Adora still on the ground, staring up at her with a puzzled look on her face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Aw come on Adora--don’t let a little old tree climbing scare you!” Catra’s tail swayed behind her amusedly, and her grin widened when she watched Adora try to grab one of the branches closer to the bottom. The other girl managed to hold on for a few seconds, but no sooner had she grasped onto the branch, it slipped out of her hands like butter and she was on the ground yet again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m trying, but it’s hard!” Doubt crossed her features, and she crossed her arms in exasperation. “Why do we have to sleep up in a tree anyways?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So manticores don’t find us and eat us while they’re hunting at night.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“G-Good reason...”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It took more than a few tries, but with a helping hand from Catra’s levitation magic, the two girls were able to make something work. Adora, more than noticeably uncomfortable with the large distance between her and the forest floor, wrapped her arms and legs around the bough she and Catra were perched on like her life depended on it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra nearly scoffed watching Adora glom onto the tree’s bough, but allowing her understanding to bypass what hilarity was drenching the situation, she instead patted the wood beside her keeping them aloft. “Hey. You’re going to be safe up here, I promise. I know you’ve probably never slept in a tree before, but it’ll keep us alive. And don’t worry, I’m here too. I’ll watch over you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ew. Did she really just say that? It didn’t sound like Catra.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora’s eyes brightened for what must have been the first time since they settled up in the tree, and Catra was once again faced by the most crystal-clear, blue irises she had ever seen. It was almost like she’d somehow been fast-forwarded into the realm of summer, and was gazing at a cloudless, sunny sky.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Really? You’d do that for me?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Now Catra felt it was more appropriate to snicker, albeit good-naturedly. “Uh, yeah? Is that even a question? I intend to keep you alive until we figure this whole thing out. So stop worrying--I’ll be here to make sure you don’t do a backflip off the bough in your sleep.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora laughed at Catra’s weirdly-specific, morbid imagery, and hearing Adora chortle also made Catra unleash her own brand of laughter.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra couldn’t say that Adora’s day wasn’t hard. The girl had been stuck in the forest, faced off a triad of petty bullies (and didn’t succeed in her brawl), and came out battered and bruised, but still alive and willing to follow Catra into the unknown. The myriad of unfortunate events rolled together to form one giant snowball, a creation that soon successfully swallowed Adora with the overpowering urge to succumb to sleep.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And Catra was there. She remained, watching silently over the snoozing Adora, just as she said she would. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Unable to fall asleep quite yet, she looked closely at Adora’s peaceful face, swathed by shades of silver and bright white from the moon beaming down on them. Earlier in the library she’d done her best to heal what she could of the lacerations and bruises that Lonnie had so</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> generously delivered when the blonde girl had gone missing. Taking Adora’s strong yet soft features into consideration again, Catra nodded confidently, thinking she did a pretty good job utilizing healing magic despite not using it often.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dark brown lashes swept against Adora’s cheek, and an effortless smile was spread across her face. It was almost as if, there in her mind, everything was as it should be, and sleep delivered the utmost serenity for such a day as this one. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Perhaps it was the way that Adora’s smile widened just a bit more when Catra tilted her jaw, inspecting for any other possible bruises or cuts, but Catra snapped back to attention and coughed, forcing herself to pull her hand away.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora was completely fine. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And now it was time for Catra to get some rest as well.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra tugged her cloak tighter around her shoulders, and when she registered Adora trembling ever so slightly beside her, Catra hesitated for a moment before removing the cloak completely from around her shoulders. Reaching over herself she placed the protective layer on top of Adora, and the shivering ceased.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra soon discovered the other girl was warm, and as exhaustion crept along the rims of her vision to turn everything black, she found herself sinking deeper into Adora’s side before sleep finally swallowed her whole.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>If traversing through all these eerie corridors told her anything, it was that she needed to exercise a bit more. That, or whoever was the constructor for this place had been overly extravagant when coming up with the means of getting from one place to another around here. So far, if she was correct, she’d stumbled down at least thirty-seven different hallways...Make that thirty-eight.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lifting an arm to wipe at the sweat that had collected on her forehead, she took a pause from her speed-walking, shuffled the bundles of scrolls underneath her arms for maximum security, and willed herself on again. She didn’t have time to stop for very long for air or water breaks; Hordak was expecting her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Running errands wasn’t typically her role here within the castle. No, she was more suited to be out in the field, training up new soldiers or doing infantry or weapon checks. Keeping the military force in tiptop shape was her forte. And to be honest, she wasn’t quite sure exactly why Hordak had called </span>
  <em>
    <span>her </span>
  </em>
  <span>particularly for--whatever this was. For now, her summons remained a mystery.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Whatever it was for though, she sincerely hoped it would be worth deserting the afternoon tea and scones she had been sharing with their local librarian. She wasn’t sure if he had been nervous or relieved when pushing her out of the library’s large wooden doors, stuffing a bunch of scrolls into her burly arms. Apparently there was no time for one last, to-go scone, and instead she only received the parting words of “Hurry, you must go! Hordak is in need of you!” before the titan-sized doors shut behind her, clattering like thunder in the distance.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>What were these scrolls for anyways? The librarian must have mentioned their purpose over tea, but she was probably admiring the fancy, highly-detailed china saucers and teacups to the extent where everything he said flew in one ear and floated out the other. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She’d find out what this was about soon, she figured.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lightning flashed outside, and the candles lighting the remaining corridors flickered as she rushed passed while juggling the scrolls between her arms. Nearly an eternity later--she never realized how big this castle was, not until today--she arrived, breathless and sweat-laden hair sticking to her brow before Hordak’s throne room.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Two impressive minotaurs threshed in chainmail and metal breastplates stood stoically before the doors, wickedly sharp tridents in each of their clawed hands. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She gulped. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This wasn’t the first time she’d been summoned by Hordak, but today, somehow, it felt like the very first time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey--hi! So I’m Legionnaire Scorpia? Lord Hordak wanted to see me, I think,” she tried, attempting a wave at one of the guards when neither of them seemed to acknowledge her existence.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>One of the minotaurs whom she had been presently waving at (albeit very clumsily with all the scrolls she was balancing) grumbled something in response, and their companion on the other side of the door grunted. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh, so I’ll take that as a ‘maybe you’ll let me inside’? I don’t really speak minotaur, even though I really wish I did! If I could, I could talk to the new g-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Both of the guards reached for the door’s handles and pulled forward, effectively ushering Scorpia out of the way without a single word. A powerful gust of wind swept past her, succeeding in vanquishing the flames on the candelabra at the sides of the doorway. She struggled keeping all of the scrolls in a presentable cluster, and fumbled with them again for another minute.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh, thanks! Guess that means I’ll be going in now...” She took a few steps, then paused. “Do you think he’s still expecting me?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No response.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not sure if he’s still expecting me…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was darkness in front of her, and the whistling of more wind. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Why did his throne room always have to be so scary? She was sure the last time she was here (not that she could remember when that was) there had been some more light. And maybe a couple of cat oil paintings hanging on the walls.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Or maybe that was just her imagination.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As she walked deeper down the hall torches lit themselves like the abrupt waking of fireflies after the sun’s setting, and when she’d finally grown an ounce more accustomed to trotting through the dark, the light from behind her faded suddenly. The guards had closed the doors. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wish I could make a friend or two with some shadow puppets right about now…” Scorpia muttered to herself, cuddling the scrolls closer to her chest in an effort to appease her anxiety.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The torches began lighting themselves quicker, as compared to the more casual sprout of orange flame, popping up from the darkness around her with more vigor than before. With her eyes she followed their trail forward, where a sinister glow of heavy crimson seeped into inky shadow. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And there, in the middle of the red-stained lighting and where all torches stopped to hail to the more imposing, dominant flare, rested a throne. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Legionnaire Scorpia,” a voice Scorpia hadn't heard in many moons called, immediately sending a chill rattling down her spine. “You’ve finally arrived.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m really sorry about being late. Those crazy corridors make it so easy to get lost sometimes, y’know? I think I almost went to the dungeon by accident, but then I met a friendly executioner who directed me this way.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hordak didn’t say anything, and Scorpia took this as her cue to keep talking. “...So what did you want to talk to me about, Lord Hordak?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A heavy sigh. Hordak placed a taloned hand against his face, covering the abysmal, blood-red pits that were his eyes for a brief moment. “There is a sword.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh cool! I love swords!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...This is not just </span>
  <em>
    <span>any </span>
  </em>
  <span>sword, Legionnaire Scorpia. This one is special; called the Sword of Origin. It was lost for a thousand years after its creation by the First Ones. But now, after so many centuries, it has returned.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Scorpia was busy adjusting the scrolls within her grasp, and when one fumbled out of her claws and tumbled onto the floor to expose an illustration of an elaborate weapon, something she imagined to be very similar to how this Sword of Origin might look, she gasped in surprise. “Whoa...I see.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“My sorcery has been able to detect the magical energy it is emitting, and I tell you--the power it owns is unlike any other.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Very cool.” Scorpia shuffled on her feet, still eyeing the fine-drawn illustration of what she assumed to be Hordak’s weapon of interest as it lay on the ground. She was pretty intrigued, that much was evident. But what did all this have to do with her?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I am ordering you to retrieve this sword for me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wait--</span>
  <em>
    <span>what?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Scorpia blinked a few times, not quite sure she’d been listening entirely to the conversation as it progressed. She’d make a mental note to be more “present” whenever Hordak or the librarian were talking; it didn’t help that sometimes they droned on and on, but it was good to be respectful and practice active listening. “Wait--excuse me, Lord Hordak. You want </span>
  <em>
    <span>me-</span>
  </em>
  <span>” she pointed to her chest in disbelief, at the same time succeeding in dropping a few more scrolls, “to go get this magic sword for you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hordak’s emotionless face didn’t leave any room for argument. “Did I not make myself clear?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Scorpia laughed. Sweat was starting to bead at her forehead once again, and it wasn’t a pleasant feeling, especially in the presence of The Demon King. “Oh hahaha noooo, not at all! I totally heard every single word of everything you just said. I was just a bit surprised you want me to go find this sword--are you sure I’m suited for the job? I have to do an infantry tally this week; we just got some new recruits drafted, so the count might be a bit off if I don’t-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Legionnaire Scorpia.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She immediately shut her mouth. She also didn’t dare to breathe.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I have everything taken care of. I’ve selected you to go find this sword because your skills, as of this moment, can be utilized in another area. This is an important mission, but one that I believe you are capable of accomplishing. I do not wish for others to draw their attention to the fact that I am after this relic. Because of this, I am employing you alone to complete the task. Take whatever weapons you may need.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Upon further explanation Scorpia smiled, a warm sensation rising in her chest at the thought of Hordak believing in her abilities enough to carry out this mission alone. “Well if you put it like that, then sure! I think the only weapons I’ll need are </span>
  <em>
    <span>this gun</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” she raised and flexed one extremely toned, extremely muscle-bound arm, “and </span>
  <em>
    <span>this gun.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>All the scrolls were also now on the floor, sprawled about like broken branches littering the ground after a ferocious rainstorm. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hordak didn’t seem amused. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So, uh, how do I find this sword?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Simple. I will allocate to you a shadow demon; one with the ability to sense the magical energy the sword emits. It will help guide your search.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Scorpia was busy gathering the scrolls that she’d dropped onto the floor, but when she heard the words “shadow demon” her head snapped to attention and panic set in. “Shadow demon? I’ve never had one before…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then this will be your first. Do not let any harm come to it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Scorpia’s chest tightened at the thought of partnering with some sort of creature--more specifically a shadow demon assigned to her by Hordak--and how she’d likely mess up something simple. What did shadow demons eat? Did they need baths? Maybe they got mad and chewed on people’s shoes, or maybe they were ten feet tall and had razor-sharp teeth that tore flesh into a million pieces-</span>
</p>
<p><span>“Here is the shadow demon who will assist you in locating the sword. I expect you to begin your search the latest tomorrow morning.”</span><span><br/></span> <span>Something round and lightning-fast bolted out from the oily blackness that surrounded Hordak, and before Scorpia could infer what was happening based on what few details she picked up, the creature knocked into her chest and sent the scrolls flying again, like a tornado of jumbo-sized confetti. </span></p>
<p>
  <span>The creature wanted attention, and when Scorpia finally forced herself to open her eyes--one by one--an impossible tidal wave of relief and shock washed over her as she found herself staring at the most adorable, most delightful shadow demon she’d ever seen (and to be honest, it was also the very first shadow demon she’d seen).</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In her arms danced a bulbous accumulation of swirling black shades, fading in and out with each of the creature’s incongruous movements. A bright red eye looked up at her pleadingly, somehow communicating through what Scorpia could have sworn was telepathy that it needed to be petted and needed to be petted </span>
  <em>
    <span>now.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She wasn’t sure if it was the way the shadow demon nimbly ran through parting strides of her legs as she walked, or the way it had leapt up onto her chest upon their initial meeting, or even the way it seemed to whimper when it desired attention. But somehow, Scorpia knew that the two of them would get along very well. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Perhaps this special quest given to her by Hordak would be fun. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Oh, and she’d thought up the perfect name for her sidekick shadow demon. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Emily. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>so catra, adora, and double trouble are officially out of the academy! and apparently a new challenger has also arrived...welp, i guess we'll see how this goes? </p>
<p>i want to thank everyone who's followed and given kudos, as well as say i sincerely thank all of you who have reviewed. hearing from you really brightens my day, and let's me know that you're still interested in this story (cause i'm paranoid sometimes about my skills). :'D </p>
<p>i hope you will take the time to leave a comment, and have a wonderful weekend and/or a happy easter if you celebrate! stay safe and healthy, and i'll see you next week!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Six</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>just a warning: a bit of gore as catra finds breakfast and skins it, so i wanted to give a heads-up.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A startled shriek, followed by the horrible snapping of what was most likely twenty or so branches, woke Catra bright and early the next morning. </p><p>With fur standing on end she looked down, her clawed fingers choking the thick bough that was their sleeping platform from the previous night as </p><p>There, at the base of the tree and dusted in a scrapped blanket of dead leaves and broken branches, lay Adora.</p><p>No sooner had Catra glimpsed Adora lying motionless on the ground did Catra clamber down the tree in the blink of an eye, and she rapidly squatted down next to her as worry seized her being. “Hey--Adora…? You still alive?” Catra asked, poking the other girl’s cheek as precariously as if she were touching a dead animal.</p><p>Adora groaned, making it known she had not, in fact, transcended into the afterlife, and did her best to sit up. “Yeah, I think I’m still alive.” She looked up, and noticing the tree sporting a clear pathway of broken branches right above their heads, returned her gaze to Catra. “But I thought you said we were going to be safe up there.”</p><p>“And we <em> are </em>safe!” Catra extended her arms wide, nearly smacking Adora upside the head in the process. “We’re both still alive, even considering the fact that you hurtled out of the tree like some kind of flightless, baby bird. Pretty good, huh?”</p><p>Pushing herself up and off the ground with her elbows, Adora wasn’t surprised to hear a few of her joints cracking under her weight. Even though she was aching in places she didn’t know could even get sore, it didn’t seem like anything was broken, which was good… “Oh yeah...I guess things could have turned out worse.” </p><p>She watched as Catra flashed a presumptuous grin before standing up, dusting herself off, and collecting her cloak in a nearby pile of leaves to fasten it around her shoulders. “So uh, I know the plan is helping me find out where I’m from and we’re heading to this Highlands place…but where do we start? I mean, I still kind of don’t really get it. Are you sure we should do this? I just--I don’t know--feel somewhat guilty that you’re doing all this for me….A complete stranger you met only yesterday.”</p><p>At this point, Catra wasn’t quite sure if Adora was mumbling to herself aloud or if she was still considering this a two-person conversation between them. Judging by the way her voice had faded into the early morning din of chirping birds and an autumn breeze whittling itself through the forest trees, it communicated to Catra that maybe Adora was being sincere about her preoccupations. </p><p> Catra sighed. Oh, where to begin and turn this into something more believable? Of course she wanted to make it sound like there was an amount of generosity and selflessness within herself, delicately tucked away behind her tough exterior and noncommittal half-truths. </p><p>“First off, you made it hard to leave you alone. I didn’t want to just ditch you in the middle of the forest when you had no idea what was going on. Second, you know how you snuck out and met up with the meanest bullies in school, and then I accidentally burned down the shed? Well I think that <em> that </em> whole event was worthy of an inevitable suspension by Shadow Weaver’s standards. Taking that into consideration, I thought maybe we’d just skidaddle before that monster of a teacher kicked me out first.”</p><p>Catra leaned in a bit closer, enough distance lacking between her and Adora that she could smell the scent of pine and straw from Adora’s crimson clothing. She allowed her fangs to slip over the bottom of her bottom lip as her grin widened. “Now that we’ve sort of caught up to the present, this is where your sword comes in<em> . </em>”</p><p>“My sword?<em> ” </em>Adora repeated, and when the blonde girl’s eyes widened with excitement Catra’s heart felt lighter, finding it absolutely delightful watching the other girl get hyped over such a small phrase. It almost completely erased the guilt writhing around inside of her like a nasty, parasitic creature itching to escape. </p><p>“Yep!” Dead leaves and dirt ground together beneath Catra’s feet as she twisted around, eyes searching for the object that had prompted her to take this quixotic journey. “The sword you have-” she began, walking over to the weapon that Adora’s fall had discarded a distance away near a bush, “it’s super special. And I mean <em> super </em>special. Like, we’re talking about incredibly rare material that can only be found near the Highlands kind of special. Which, if you remember, is the place we’re headed. I think if we can reach the Highlands, we’ll be able to find some clues that will help us figure out where you’re from. Then we can get you home.”</p><p>Catra was dangling the hilt of the sword between her fingers when something pinned her against the tree, and dropping the sword to the forest detritus she found her breath hitching within her throat as Adora held her tight. </p><p>“Thank you. I can’t tell you how much this means to me.” Adora’s whisper, softer than anything Catra had ever heard before and twice as gentle, tickled Catra’s ears. A sensation of warmth razed her cheeks like a miniature wildfire, but before the heat consumed any more of her face, she inserted her arms between herself and Adora.</p><p>Catra coughed once into her hand, and scratching the back of her neck with the other she feigned disinterest in the generous display of affection Adora had shown. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d received a hug. Honestly, what was <em> with </em> Adora? Was this just the kind of person she was, or maybe wherever she was from people did this kind of thing often? </p><p>She wasn’t about to let this overly-enthusiastic blonde girl destroy her personal boundaries with something as simple as a hug, but then again she had mixed feelings about the exchange. It felt nice. Maybe it would have been nicer to hold on to her a bit longer, but she knew (she didn’t have to look) that Double Trouble was snickering, or even worse...donning that smug grin three sizes too large for their tiny face.</p><p>“Yeah, sure, whatever--glad to help. Um...I’m gonna go search for breakfast. You stay and help Double Trouble make a fire, okay? Maybe munch on some of the snacks that I brought if you’re starving.”</p><p>Catra ran a hand through her mane, feeling the feverish temperature of skin along her palm. Then, taking one last look at Adora, she vanished into the forest without another word. </p><p>Adora stared until the swishing of Catra’s tail disappeared completely among the bushes, completely honest with herself as she admitted missing the feisty girl who had quite literally pried them apart mere seconds ago. “Is that how she always is?”</p><p>“Most of the time, yes.” At some point Double Trouble had joined Adora on the ground, ditching their safe, manticore-free tree for a more reasonable hang-out area. It was doubtful they hadn't missed the physical exchange. “She’s usually a very grumpy kitty.”</p><p>“Really?”</p><p>“Yes. But she seems to have taken a liking to you.”</p><p>Before Adora could ask anything else, the goblin trotted forward, sashaying past Adora to point to a rock near the base of a shrub. “Now how about you say we start preparing for breakfast? If you wouldn’t mind helping me move this so we can start a cozy little fire, Catra should be back with something soon.”</p><p>“Oh, sure! Just a moment-” Adora heaved the rock that Double Trouble had asked for up onto her shoulder with a triumphant chuckle. Moving aside a few leaves to create a clean patch of dirt, she pressed it into the ground enough to keep it from rolling away. Despite her occupation with building a fire, her mind remained transfixed on the girl who had rescued her. “Double Trouble, is Catra going to be okay out there? She didn’t take my sword. What happens if something attacks her?”</p><p>The little goblin, busy trying to lift up a smaller rock roughly the size of Adora’s fist, doubled over in laughter. “Bahaha, ‘Is Catra going to be okay’? You are simply <em>precious</em>...Of course she’ll be alright!”<br/>“Um, did I say something funny or…?” Adora asked, brows furrowed with concern as the hobgoblin regained their breath. </p><p>“Darling, listen here,” Double Trouble purred, and Adora blinked a few times, trying to appear as studious as possible on the topic of Catra. “Catra is one of the most powerful mages around, especially for her age. She might not look like it, but she’s got the ability to harness and manipulate natural magic with a wave of her hand. It also comes in handy that she’s a magicat, a type of faerie here in Etheria. Not many beings around here can do that now. Humans mostly.”</p><p><em> So we’re on Etheria…? And Catra’s a magicat. </em>“...So Catra’s special?”</p><p>“Very special. So don’t underestimate her appearance.” Double Trouble rolled another rock they had found to the area of their future fire, completing the little circle that would serve as the pit. “And I’m actually quite astounded that she decided to take you in. She’s more solitary than affectionate, if you haven’t noticed.” </p><p>Adora smiled to herself, pleased with the idea that maybe, to Catra, she was someone worth saving. The two hadn't known each other very long--less than a day, really--but something had brought them together, hadn't it? There was a reason for her being here. For both of them being here.</p><p>She hoped that Catra’s interest in her had more to do than just Adora having a mysterious, extremely cool sword, and the more she thought about it, the more her optimism provided kindling to the sanguine thoughts burning within her mind.</p><p>Even if Adora couldn’t remember anything before the ancient oak and swinging her sword at those stupid creatures throwing nuts at her, finally meeting Catra was pivotal in a plethora of ways to Adora. </p><p>“I know I’ve mentioned it before, but I honestly don’t remember anything about who I am aside from my name. Not where I came from, not if I have a family, not where I’m going. And it’s really weird saying this…” The words were free-falling out of Adora’s mouth now, barreling off her tongue at a speed so alarming she could not reel them back in. </p><p>Even so, they didn’t feel strange or out of place, despite her thoughts being far away. Somewhere out in the forest following a certain brown-haired girl. “But I feel like Catra’s been there too. She’s been alone. And somehow that makes me feel better--feel safer--when we’re together...like neither of us is alone anymore.” </p><p>Double Trouble’s candid look almost made Adora want to tack on a disclaimer of sorts to her most recent declaration, thinking maybe it was out of place to make assumptions about the way Catra might be feeling. Just as she was about to do so, flashbacks of the ominous conversation Catra had with Lonnie the previous day tumbled into her mind like an impromptu rockslide instigated by heavy rains. Then, it was almost unbearable for Adora to watch the ensuing argument fueled by Lonnie’s abrasive remarks that caused Catra to unleash a side of her Adora didn’t know the other girl had.</p><p>The sound of snapping twigs sliced through the thin, autumn air like a vindictive machete, and Adora, startled by the sudden addition to her and Double Trouble’s conversation, lunged for her sword. “Stay behind me!”</p><p>Catra emerged from the bushes where she had disappeared into minutes before, a plump, limp rabbit hanging from her claws as she lifted the creature up in triumph. “Breakfast! Anybody hungry?”</p><p>And then she turned to Adora, who was still brandishing the sword and hyperventilating just the minimum; her determined guise caused a laugh to bubble up within Catra’s chest. “Adora, it’s me. Put that sword down, will you? Save it for when something truly horrific attacks us.” </p><p>Adora released the breath she didn’t realize she had been holding, unsure of how she missed watching Catra transform a depressing-looking pile of leaves in their fire pit into a large, animated burst of flame. </p><p>Adora, more than a little embarrassed with her good-natured but unnecessary overreaction, slumped down next to Catra, who was busily skinning their meal with a knife to prepare for cooking. “Yeah, sorry...I was thinking you might have been one of those manticore things you were telling me about yesterday.” She watched as Catra peeled off the creature’s skin and fur effortlessly, wincing although she was also extremely impressed by how Catra didn’t even flinch. </p><p>Wishing to take her mind off of the somewhat gruesome sight and return to it later when it was more presentable (roasted over a spit), she thought about introducing the topic she and Double Trouble had discussed while Catra was away. “Double Trouble told me you’re pretty good with magic? Well--<em> pfft </em>--not that I didn’t realize that already-”</p><p>Catra didn’t bother looking up. She was moving quickly, thoughtlessly, almost as if she were on autopilot; the rabbit was already skewered by a stick, and now roasting slowly over their makeshift pit. “Oh really? Double Trouble likes to be dramatic. You shouldn’t take everything they say so lightly.”</p><p>“But Kitten!” the goblin crooned, clearly embodying emotional damage by Catra’s blunt response. “It’s true, isn’t it? You possess much more raw, magical talent than many around here, even compared to those at the academy. I was letting Adora know that you’d be safe on your own catching breakfast. The poor thing was about to worry her pretty little mind over you.”</p><p>At that comment Catra smirked, causing Adora’s stomach to do a somersault.</p><p>“You were worried about me? Aw, that’s cute.” </p><p>“I-I was a bit worried...But not like, panicking or anything!” Adora could feel her cheeks warming up, and to lessen the blow of the attention returning to her she buried her face between her knees. “I wanted you to be okay.”</p><p>Catra didn’t say anything, and Adora wasn’t sure if she were taking it poorly or thought this whole conversation was just an elongated joke. If it were possible for the ground below to open up and swallow Adora for the rest of the day, it’d make it easier for her to move on with her life just fine. Otherwise she might be slightly emotionally damaged too, and on a more serious scale than Double Trouble. One thing was making Catra flustered by something as innocent as a hug, but seeing the way Catra’s sharp canines gleamed in the firelight as she bore such a devilish, mysteriously charming grin derived from Adora’s harrowing was quite another.</p><p>More heat licked at Adora’s face, but this time it was such a painful, unbearable amount that it forced her to leap backwards from her position close to the fire where breakfast was cooking. To her surprise the fire that Catra lit within the pit had blossomed to nearly the size of Adora herself, its height hurtling spitting, gnarled tendrils of flame into the air for a few seconds. And then, just as sporadically as it had occurred, the fire died back down to the size it was before.</p><p>“What was that??” Adora yelped with what was left of her voice, simultaneously fingering the loose strands of yellow that hung over her face. Phew, none of them were singed. </p><p>Catra dusted her hands off, a few blue sparks spilling out from her palms as she reached for the stick on which their breakfast was still poised. It smelled and looked miraculous. “Oh, just trying to get our breakfast done a bit quicker. Want some?”</p><p>A few deft movements as Catra severed a part of the roast rabbit, and then in one of her hands, extended graciously toward Adora, was a cooked leg: breakfast. The smell was unbelievable, and for the first time in the span of the past day Adora felt her stomach grumble something unintelligible while also possessing as much avidity as a voracious beast. </p><p>And just like her stomach, Adora could barely spew out an incomprehensible ‘Thank you’ before ravenously devouring the portion given to her.</p><p>Catra stuffed some meat into her own mouth, but made sure to leave enough on the bone that she could still manage a mostly one-sided discussion. “I forgot how hungry you must be. You didn’t eat any dinner yesterday. The rabbit’s good, huh?”</p><p>Double Trouble and Catra looked on in wonder as Adora tossed the now-desolate bones over her shoulder, hungrily eyeing what remained of the meal left hanging over the fire pit.</p><p><em> Spirits, it’s like she hasn’t eaten in a hundred years with the way she’s looking at that rabbit. </em>“You can go ahead and have the rest, if you want,” Catra said without reservation, and within a split second Adora had seized the rest of breakfast and was scarfing it down at an alarming rate.</p><p>Double Trouble hugged their portion closer to their chest, not taking any chances with Adora’s formidable appetite. “Kitten, I think restocking on food supplies soon would be a good idea...”</p><p>“You’re telling me.”</p><p>Ungodly noises of messy inhaling, muddled by the occasional intake of air or the arguing of Adora with the bones as she scraped off every last shred of roast meat echoed through the small clearing.</p><p>And then, finally when everything was serene once again and breakfast was completely gone, Catra found it safe to break the silence. “So...Adora? You good?”</p><p>A resounding burp followed, sending a flock of morning doves flying out of a nearby tree and into the sky, horrified coos and screeches dangling behind them. “Yeah, I’m good.”</p><p>Catra’s face twitched and then she burst out into laughter, successfully scaring off a couple of more birds that didn’t think Adora’s burp had been alarming enough. “Hahaha--” wiping a few tears from her eyes she stood up and stretched, not entirely discreet in showing off another one of those smirks that made Adora’s pulse quicken. “Seeing as how you just inhaled breakfast, I don’t think the rest of our supplies will last very long. Like Double Trouble mentioned, we’re probably going to have to buy some more supplies. Not just food to make sure we don’t go hungry, but tools for the rest of our journey. We’ll need to make sure we’re prepared to help get you home...The Highlands are nearly three weeks walking-distance away.”</p><p>Adora had been busy picking her teeth with a small twig, but at the mention of “home” she looked up, meeting Catra’s lemon and aqua eyes. “Okay! So what does that mean?”</p><p>“It means we’re going to stop by a village and do some shopping. I’ve brought along some money that I’ve saved up these past few years, along with a few things that I might be able to trade. It’s not much, but we’ll see what we can do.”</p><p>Double Trouble was already packing up the items the two girls had hauled into the tree the previous night, books and small knick knacks lying across the forest floor like flotsam and jetsam after Adora’s wakeup fall. Some objects were scattered in bushes nearby, others were still hanging from low tree branches. “The sooner we can gather these things the sooner we can head out, Loves.”</p><p>“Aye-aye, Captain,” Catra answered sarcastically, following her familiar’s lead as Adora attempted to regain her footing after a record-breaking breakfast consumption. “Adora, you don’t normally eat that much, do you?”</p><p>Caught a bit off guard, the blonde girl paused herself of all physical movement to deeply contemplate the question. After a little while she snorted and waved a hand. “Oh heck no. I was just really hungry.” But then she stopped again, genuinely seeming to rethink her answer. “Or maybe I do normally eat like that...I can’t remember,” she finished sheepishly, the smallest of blushes dusting her cheeks.</p><p>Catra merely nodded at Adora’s earnest reply and continued searching for what belongings she had brought along, finding a bit of amusement in the spontaneous scavenger hunt. She had a hunch that her items would not gather much revenue, but whatever she had she would be willing to give up, if necessary. It didn’t help that the only way she’d been able to gather what coins were in her leather pouch usually was swiping them from her classmates when they weren’t looking. The sum of what she “earned” wasn’t anything to gloat over. </p><p>Another bird called overhead, and Catra looked upwards toward the sky, watching as a couple of sparrows rushed by and weaved in and out of the towering evergreens in their path. The sun was barely touching the tops of the forest trees, painting the viridity of their crowns with a gentle golden hue. </p><p>If Catra was correct, there was a village on the other side of the thick rows of forest flora; just a few hours walk of where they were currently situated. The promise of adventure felt refreshing, after being secluded within the impeding stone walls and meticulously-trimmed hedges of what she once called her home. She knew where she wanted to go and where she would lead Adora. </p><p>If she could just keep the true motive under wraps until they got to the Highlands, that would be ideal. She would do her best to keep things between herself and Double Trouble, and hopefully little to no distractions or issues would arise during the entirety of their journey. </p><p>They still had a long, long, <em> long </em>way to go.</p><hr/><p>There was no end to the exhaustion. Over the past few weeks she’d done everything within her power to try and alleviate the situation which had presented itself as instantaneously as the flood of hatred that’d washed over all of Etheria a thousand moons ago. </p><p>Wiping a thin layer of perspiration off her brow, Queen Angella breathed out a heavy sigh. A scatter of potions, dried herbs and flowers, and thick, leather-bound books with metal studs to keep the pages in place practically camouflaged the surface of the desk in the corner of her room. She’d tried every single spell in each book, every potion she’d ever learned to make (and even some she’d never tried before). </p><p>Still, nothing had worked. </p><p>Over the past few days, her drive had only been bolstered by the sense of utter urgency. She wasn’t sure exactly how much time was left until she absolutely had to find a solution, but all she knew was that it wasn’t much. </p><p>And then, even though she wasn’t quite ready to admit to herself or anyone else--for they were bound to think her idea was unquestionably foolish--there was a minuscule nudge. Yesterday, she’d awaken with a start from her bed, <em> feeling </em> something pulling her out beyond the kingdom’s walls. </p><p>It was faint, ebbing in and out like the waves lapping against a shore, yet it urged her. And she had felt this exact sensation before, only many, many years ago.</p><p>Wrapping one of her wings around her forearm, she pulled the appendage closer to her body, absentmindedly stroking the feathers as she glanced out the thick glass window. The forest beckoned to her, as did the cloud-peppered sky, awaiting eagerly for the moment when she’d finally set foot into the wilds.</p><p>It was her only hope. </p><p>If choosing this path wouldn’t be able to solve her problem, she wasn’t sure if anything else could.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>i hope you all had a wonderful weekend, and that your day has been pleasant so far! i know nothing too interesting happens in this chapter, but it was kind of needed to communicate some important details for the following installments. </p><p>hopefully you enjoyed, and please leave a comment if you'd like to let me know your thoughts. :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Seven</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>village shopping hijinks, mostly</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>With the way that Adora was grasping her arm like Catra was the only thing tethering her to this world, Catra wasn’t sure if she should push Adora away or let her be. Her vice-like grip was painful enough that she winced a few times, and she wouldn’t be surprised if she discovered welts on her skin later on in the day. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But the glow that radiated from Adora’s face as she pinned herself to Catra’s side...Now </span>
  <em>
    <span>that </span>
  </em>
  <span>was something Catra didn’t want to see vanish any time soon. No, she’d like to see Adora’s bright grin and shining blue eyes a bit longer. It made her feel...better?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Whatever it made her feel, she pushed aside the sensation momentarily and attempted to spin around and face the girl leeching onto her forearm. There was something she needed to say. “Listen, Adora. We </span>
  <em>
    <span>just </span>
  </em>
  <span>made it here to the village. Do not blow this for us. Act casual. Let me handle making deals and buying things, okay?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Both Catra and Double Trouble waited for Adora’s reply, watching eagerly as the other girl’s attention broke away momentarily from the assortment of thatched roofs peppering the distance.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, of course!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Promise?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You know this is important, Darling.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know, I know,” Adora muttered under her breath, drawing skeptical stares from both of her companions. Without a warning she released Catra’s arm and opted to skip down the rest of the trail, and Catra hastily stumbled forward for a split second, wondering if she should chase after.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No, Adora was happy. Catra would let her be.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She’s getting ahead of us, Kitten.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She’ll be fine, Double Trouble. I’ll keep an eye on her.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This village wasn’t one Catra was entirely unfamiliar with. There’d been a few times during her sixteen years of being at the academy when she decided to venture beyond the stretch of wood that was the forest, and during those few times she’d often found herself here. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But of course that was years ago. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If there was one thing she assumed wouldn’t change about their destination, it’d be the way the people there viewed her. Time was not merciful in that aspect. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A row of wooden fences poorly secured together by rotted, termite-worn pegs lined the side of the dirt road; their ratty appearance signaled to Catra that it might be time for her to pull up her hood over her ears. Splotches of deep umber and golden ochre straw roofs dotting the upcoming hills warped into whole houses, heralding the three’s arrival into society.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora halted in her tracks before she had passed the first of the houses lining the dirt path. After the wooden fences, the trail opened up for more leeway; a handful of townspeople were outside the homes tending to moving cattle, calling in their children for a meal, or pushing about peddling carts. Even from the outside things were already looking busy…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Adora!</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Catra grabbed the other girl’s wrist and hissed into her ear, Adora turning around just enough for Catra to continue without straining to be heard over the growing din of village life. “We’re about to go in. Don’t let your sword get lost, don’t wander away, and let me do the talking. Those are our three rules. Got it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And there it was again. That somehow simultaneously charming yet aggravating smile, a lopsided contortion of amusement that Adora always seemed to pull off so effortlessly. “I know Catra. I promise I’ll stay close.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra nodded to herself, pleased temporarily with Adora’s verbal compromise. Taking a step forward, she threw herself into the bustling commotion of the village, but not before seizing Adora’s wrist. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I see what you’re doing~” Double Trouble whispered into her ear, but Catra didn’t concede to their gibing. “Smooth, Kitten.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shut up.” Catra’s cheeks warmed again. Although it was such a new feeling, one she never experienced before, she didn’t exactly hate the warmth on her face. But when Double Trouble succeeded in pointing it out? Now that just made the sensation the slightest bit uncomfortable.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Not to mention, Catra was physically reassuring herself that Adora wasn’t going to disappear like she had back at the academy; this was for Adora’s own good. They couldn’t have her wandering off again, like she did the other day. Things didn’t turn out too good for either of them after Adora had gone missing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Help me keep an eye on her.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Even without direction from any of the townspeople, Catra succeeded in directing herself and Adora into the village square without any delay. As she had mentioned before, they were strictly only here to buy supplies for their journey, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>maybe, </span>
  </em>
  <span>if they happened to stay longer than expected, find a place for the night. Adora guessed that probably meant food, maybe a couple of tools, things like that, maybe a-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Horse!” Adora cried at the top of her lungs, and her whole body surged in the direction of the mentioned creature, hoping to get a chance of petting the beast.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her wild gesticulation and literal magnetic pull to the horse almost succeeded--it was, of course, right before Catra’s grip tightened around her wrist, and Adora slacked within her hold, body going drastically limp. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No horse.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But horsie..!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re here to buy food and supplies, not attend a petting zoo.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora harrumphed, folded her arms, and put on the most serious pout she could manage, yet Catra didn’t even look her way. How could she be so cruel? And the way she was seizing her wrist wasn’t exactly the kindest means of attachment either. The blonde tried to catch a glimpse of Catra’s face, wondering if maybe her friend was upset. Her curiosity wasn’t appeased, taking into consideration that she unfortunately couldn’t see past the cloak’s hood pulled low over Catra’s head. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Whatever. Adora would just chill back here, admiring things from afar until they found a decent seller to purchase supplies or food from.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Although initially irked by the fact that she couldn’t pet the horse at the beginning of their shopping trip, Adora soon lost focus of her original goal. Anything and everything beckoned for her attention, and it was impossible to not </span>
  <em>
    <span>at least </span>
  </em>
  <span>take a look at the vendor who was hollering for someone to inspect the freshest squash and gourds around. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra’s mood also lightened as well, little by little; Adora watched as her face contorted over time into something more pleasant. Catra, once donning a determined grimace, swapped her impassive frown for a soft smile when Adora plucked a couple of apples from one stand and began juggling them around. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It hadn't gone well with the vendor (obviously), but as soon as he chased the girls away and they’d found somewhere safe to laugh about it, shopping actually seemed kind of...</span>
  <em>
    <span>fun. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A few hours and a handful less of coins later, Catra and Adora were sitting by the village’s fountain, each girl holding some sort of magical, baked concoction completely new and revelational to Adora.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What are these called again?” Adora held up the half-eaten pastry within her hand and squinted hard, as if by gazing with every ounce of her being at the food in her palm she’d unravel the secrets of the universe.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra took a bite of her own pastry and swallowed. “It’s called a muffin. They’re good, huh?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“More like life-changing, if you ask me!” Adora shoved more of the dessert into her mouth. “And you say they make all sorts of flavors of these?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yep!” Double Trouble answered Adora before Catra could even open her mouth. They, for once, were able to enjoy their own muffin too. Catra had been uncharacteristically kind today (they had an idea why), and spent a few more coins from her life savings’ to purchase an extra muffin for Double Trouble. They’d settled on chocolate, a rarity neither they or Catra had been allowed the privilege to enjoy very often in the confines of the academy. “Blueberry, lemon, pumpkin, chocolate, raspberry, vanilla...You name it, Darling! Whatever the flavor, it’s probably been made and tastes like heaven on earth.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wow!” Adora was finished with her muffin now, and what remained of the blueberry pastry settled in crumbs and smears of blue around her mouth and over the top of her jacket. “Where have muffins been all of my life?!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra was almost going to mention to Adora that she was littered in muffin crumbs, but the bright sparkles that emanated from Adora’s eyes as she contemplated the countless muffin possibilities blinded her from doing so. She opted for finishing her own treat, Double Trouble also still chowing down on theirs on her shoulder, and sitting there on the fountain’s edge to watch the market perpetually revolving around them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Strangely enough, Catra felt content. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Throughout the day Adora hadn't managed to get lost, her sword was still strapped to her back, and nobody had really questioned Catra’s appearance. There had been (like there always were) the few odd stares here and there, but keeping her hood over her head for a majority of their shopping spree had been a wise decision. No degrading remarks or commiserate statements, which was a relief. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When everyone was completely done with their food Catra stood up, heaved over her shoulder the medium-sized bag of supplies that they’d purchased, and mentioned that it’d be best for them to find a place to stay before night fell. Somewhere preferably not out in the forest again, Adora requested, which Catra agreed to with a knowing grin as she recalled the events of the morning when the blonde had toppled out of the tree. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was nearly evening and the sun was beginning to set; Adora watched as the orange hues set the sky on fire, the sun leaving a trail of rose and magenta smudges in its wake against a darkening canvas. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, what’s that?” Adora stopped on the cobblestone path. At some point during their weary waltz through the town, what were once dirt roads had evolved into compacted stone, wedged together neatly beneath their feet. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>What’s what? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Catra thought to herself, turning around to get a glimpse of whatever it was that Adora wanted her to look at. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The other girl was paused in her tracks with a finger pointing to a shop so hidden in a tangle of old buildings that Catra wasn’t even quite sure how she’d managed spotting it. It lurked ominously, sunken into the mire of shadows cast by a series of taller, more presentable shops and homes. And then to make things even more mysterious, directly in front of the bizarre store rested a makeshift wooden sign, crafted from two thin wedges of bark splintered by rain and sun. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora’s eyebrows knitted together as she took a step closer to the strange little store curtained by shadow, voice embodying her curiosity as she read the wooden sign aloud. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>‘Answers to (almost) all of your questions! Professional scientist-alchemist-researcher’</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Turning her now crumbless face toward Catra, the other girl a few paces ahead and still focused on finding someplace to spend the night, she tossed a questionable request into the air. “Can we go in here? Maybe they can help us!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before Catra had even uttered back a reply (the answer was “No”), Adora was already walking toward the direction of the small shop, seemingly foreseeing the negative response and deciding to make the detour herself. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Adora!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She kept walking. </span>
</p>
<p><span>“</span><em><span>Adora!</span></em><span>” Catra’s fur was standing on end yet again, and she had to hustle to make it to Adora’s side, barely managing to catch her wrist as she took the first step into the dimly lit shop. Muted anger and disagreement seeped into her words although she really didn’t want to be angry...It’s just that Adora’s current mindset left no room for Catra’s judgement, and that frustrated her to an extent. “Adora, we are </span><b><em>not</em></b> <span>going in here.”</span></p>
<p>
  <span>The other girl gave her a flabbergasted look, like Catra had just said that Adora wasn’t allowed to taste another muffin for her entire life. “Why not? They said they’re a professional.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ugh! Didn’t Adora know better than to just wholeheartedly trust what signs said, or what people told her? Her naivety was so exasperating at times, and although Catra sincerely wanted to tell Adora she couldn’t believe everything she heard or saw, saying this to her when Catra herself wasn’t entirely honest with her new friend made creating a suitable response a complex matter. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ooh, customers! Come on in!” A high-pitched, nasally voice called from the darkness within, immediately plastering an excited grin on Adora’s face as she followed the verbal invitation and bypassed Catra.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Half-expecting the room to get darker the deeper that they went into the shop, Catra lifted her hood slightly to allow for her ears to swivel about more freely. She assumed they’d come in handy in a place like this where not everything was within plain eyesight, despite her ability to see in the dark (just in case of an ambush or anything of the sort--she couldn’t help the instinct to be overly attentive in this situation). </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Just a few more steps in and the ambience of the small shop grew slightly brighter. Someone bent over a counter studiously, washed in the dying light of a candle burning wax. As the fire flickered its light stretched over the individual splayed over the counter’s top, purple and silver intermingling in front of Adora’s, Catra’s, and Double Trouble’s very eyes in a melange of colorful sparks and twisting appendages. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before Catra could register that the flashes of purple were actually </span>
  <em>
    <span>hair--</span>
  </em>
  <span>more specifically animated and somehow magically vitalized--the individual who she assumed bid their entry lifted a rusty metal wielder’s helmet from over their face and smiled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Guests! Haha!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The shopkeeper (their role was contentious Catra thought, due to that very indecisive sign at the entrance) vaulted over the countertop by means of her magic hair, dropping directly behind both Catra and Adora and earning startled jolts from the two. “I haven’t had customers in ages,” the person warbled, and Catra couldn’t help from letting a sassy retort slip out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe you should remodel. It doesn’t help that this whole place looks super creepy from the outside.” Now that the shopkeeper was closer, Catra could see she didn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>seem </span>
  </em>
  <span>to be the type to instill fear into the hearts of those who walked in...which was kind of her original assumption of whoever owned this place.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The girl, short, smiley, and owning a unique pair of deep red eyes that somehow matched her sentient purple hair took a moment to ponder Catra’s passive-aggressive suggestion. “Really? I didn’t know it looked like that from the outside. Then again I haven’t been outside in ages, haha!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Well that sort of explains a lot.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“My name’s Entrapta! I’m the professional scientist-alchemist-researcher who owns this cute little place! Although I haven’t had guests in a while, you kind of caught me at a bad time. I was working on some alchemy, trying to change some fragments of silver into something more valuable, but I haven’t had much luck yet...” Entrapta trailed off as she took in Adora and Catra, examining them as methodically as she would have done if discovering a new species of field pixie. Whatever was going on in her head right now wasn’t entirely good; that much Catra could assess. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Strange duo...</span>
  <em>
    <span>correction</span>
  </em>
  <span>: trio!” Entrapta mumbled to herself, although thanks to Catra’s splendid hearing she caught a majority of the soliloquy. “Girl, yep, normal...a magicat? Haven’t seen one of you since, haha, </span>
  <em>
    <span>forever</span>
  </em>
  <span>! Hmm, and a goblin--no, hobgoblin…Oooh, sword!” she drawled excitedly, clapping her hands together with glee as she set her eyes on the weapon’s hilt protruding from over Adora’s shoulder. “Actually, scratch me saying that you caught me at a bad time--let’s get down to business, shall we? What can I help you with?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra had had enough of whatever this was. She wasn’t about to let herself, Adora, or the sword be studied by some weirdo with a self-proclaimed professional status, especially if she were this observant about things. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Too</span>
  </em>
  <span> observant, if she were being entirely honest. “We were just about to leave-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I read your sign and was hoping you could help us find out where this sword is from,” Adora requested as she extracted her weapon from behind her back and held it out to the storekeeper, the act throwing Catra for a loop. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra bared her teeth as Entrapta’s hair reached forward to gently lift the sword, and she wanted nothing more than to snatch Adora’s hand and the weapon and hightail it out of there without looking back. </span>
  <em>
    <span>No no no Adora! Don’t just hand over your sword like that-</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hmm, a very interesting specimen, if I do say so myself!” One of Entrapta’s extremely long pigtails reached for something behind the counter, and it returned a moment later with some sort of goggled contraption, which the short girl immediately placed over her eyes. It was very different from the metal welding mask she’d been wearing earlier, this device seeming to be composed of two sets of magnifying lens layers attached to a pair of thick, metal frames. “Yes...I see...these markings, the gem, hmm, what is this material? I think I’ve seen this before-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra hissed when, with a giant push off the dusty floor, the sword and Entrapta catapulted behind the counter once again, and Adora skittered forward with brimming elation. Her companion bounced on the balls of her feet, watching as Entrapta rummaged through shelves with manic energy, pulling out dusty books and flipping through pages with frightening speed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know I’ve seen this sword somewhere before, and the material too!” Entrapta somehow made a knife materialize out of nothing, and although Catra was shocked by the sudden appearance of the sharp utensil, her interest was somewhat piqued when Entrapta dared to drag the knife across the blade’s length. When she lifted the utensil, the three were astounded to see that not a single scratch was made. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hmm, just as I thought…” The purple-haired girl turned some more pages, tapped the end of her hair on her chin, and nodded to herself a few times in silent affirmation. “Yep! No doubt about it, this sword is </span>
  <em>
    <span>definitely</span>
  </em>
  <span> a First Ones artifact.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora leaned forward over the counter, afraid she’d misheard something. “Excuse me--a </span>
  <em>
    <span>what </span>
  </em>
  <span>artifact?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“First Ones!” Entrapta chirped as she ran her gloved hands over the sword’s length once more before fixing Adora with the most enthusiasm-infused look Catra had ever seen over something as macabre as a weapon. “They were a people who lived a thousand years ago! This is a remainder of their technology; and it looks strangely similar to that one sword that they made...What was it called again?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I think that’s enough for today!” Catra snatched the sword off the counter with dangerously accurate impulse, tucked it into her belt, seized Adora by the shoulders, and began wheeling her around and pushing her back out toward the shop’s entrance. “Sorry weird girl, but we gotta go.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wait!” Adora called, her fingers treading through thin air as Entrapta waved to them from behind her counter piled high with open books and sharp, pointy tools. On second thought, she wasn’t quite sure if Entrapta was waving back at them with her sentient hair, or if maybe she too was also reaching for Adora and the sword, inviting them to stay longer and ignore Catra’s declaration.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Would you mind if I studied your sword just a bit more? I’ll pay you!” Entrapta waved another tool in the air with her strange hair, but Catra wasn’t at all eager to find out what it was. The only goal situated at the forefront of her mind right now was getting herself and Adora out of this place before Adora learned something she didn’t want her to find out yet.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When the two girls finally emerged from Entrapta’s lair the moon had almost succeeded in trading places with the sun, and despite the air being much more chilly and frigid than it was during the day, Catra’s temperature had risen enough that she wished she could jump into a frozen lake. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That’d probably cool down not just her temperature, but her nerves as well. Too bad it wasn’t the right time of year yet for frozen lakes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey!” Adora yelped once the two of them were out in the open, and she whirled around to face Catra with a disappointed look that really didn’t belong amongst her normally amiable features. “What the heck, Catra? Entrapta was about to tell us more about those First Ones people, and then you just pulled us out of there.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know what I did,” Catra snapped back rather rashly. She hoped the way her hand was wound possessively around the sword’s hilt sent Adora the message that she wasn’t about to give it back anytime soon. Not after what just happened. “Don’t you remember what I said? What were the three rules that we talked about before we came into this village?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora didn’t reply.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t let your sword get lost, don’t wander away, and to let me do the talking,” Catra recited them for her. “You pretty much broke all three of those rules right now.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The frustrated look on Adora’s face slowly turned into a downhearted frown, as if she’d just realized that Catra was right (which she was). Looking down at her boots she scuffed the tip of one against the ground, and without gazing up she began to speak indistinctly, so softly that Catra had to lean in and perk up her ears just to hear. “I’m sorry. I just wanted to know where...where I might be from.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At that moment Catra swore that her heart, which she pronounced to all who knew her was literal ice (or at the least really tough granite), thawed enough for her to feel it beating at a reasonable pace again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Should she tell her?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Not now,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Catra conceded, turning the thought over and over within her mind like a hot coal she didn’t want to hold for too long.</span>
  <em>
    <span> It's not safe right now. I’ll have to tell her later. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Double Trouble hummed a tune of approval beside her ear, and before she knew it Catra’d wrapped her arm around Adora’s shoulder with her free hand. Their sack of supplies rested on the ground beside her feet, but she paid them no mind. All of her attention was focused on Adora. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know, and I get it. Remember what I said about helping you find out where you’re from? I’m still going to help you with that. I promise. But you can’t go up to random people and tell them this kind of stuff--your sword is special, and there are people out there who want it. If you lose it we might not be able to get you home. I’m just trying to keep us safe by doing what’s best.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora’s deep frown faded into something resembling a reluctant smile as Catra pulled her in closer, and when the other girl winked at her Adora failed in suppressing the relief and forgiveness that made her feel more relaxed about the whole situation.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“O-Okay. Thanks, Catra,” Adora sniffled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When Catra flicked her nose and laughed the soft sound filled the near-empty expanse of street that stretched before them, dancing among the torch’s flames lighting their way through the night. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And it also made Adora feel better, somehow. She wiped at the corner of her eyes with the sleeve of her jacket quickly, hoping that Catra didn’t notice the baby tears that had threatened to evolve if she continued down the path of being upset about her rash decisions. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Now </span>
  <em>
    <span>come on</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Adora--we still need to find a place to stay for the night! You don’t want a manticore to get you today, right?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora took a deep inhale of the crisp evening air, feeling the cold sensation expand and spread within her lungs to deliver a soothing, emotional balm for her troubled soul. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra was right. There wasn’t any reason for Adora to be mad. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra was only trying to keep them safe. She’d made a promise that she’d help Adora get home.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And that reminder of the promise was enough for Adora. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>catra's kind of sneaky, huh? </p>
<p>let me know what you thought of this chapter, if you have the time! :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Eight</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>maybe a backstory? maybe a dream? maybe both???</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Days like this were her absolute favorite.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wind whistled through her hair, the mid-thigh tall grass snaking out of the ground fabricated a sense of adventure, and the sun in the sky above shone down gently, urging her to pump her arms faster and faster. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When she was at the point where her feet pounded against the ground out of necessary continuity, she misjudged the height needed to lift her leg when leaping over a rock.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her foot snagged on the top of the mentioned boulder and she quite literally went flying, pebbles and golden flyaways and torn grass soaring beside her, and landed face-first in the ground, laughing all the while. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The creatures behind seized this opportunity to strike their unfortunate victim, and attacked Adora with feverish cuddling, planting kisses, and initiating tickles over the bare skin of her hands and face. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hahaha, stop it, stop it! I give up!” the blonde girl cried, swatting away playfully at the sprites that were now ravaging what was left of her ability to breathe.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Within a few seconds they’d relented to her pleading, and switched to flitting around her head while she regained her breath.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The sky above was so blue it made her eyes water...Through the wings of the little sprites she caught a glimpse of something magnificent flying by, just a mere shadow high above in the atmosphere and mostly hidden by the trees’ canopy. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What the-?” Adora quickly sat up, vertigo slamming her hard enough that she had to shake her head momentarily to stop the world from spinning. “Was that a dragon? They don’t come by here often...Never, actually. It’s gotta be important if they’re on their way to the village.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>One of the sprites, a cute, palm-sized creature with big round eyes and antennae that looked like miniature dandelion seeds, chirped out a comment that instantly caught their larger friend’s attention, and something in Adora’s mind clicked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ohhhh, you’re right! Razz was going to have a meeting with them today--that must be why they’re on their way there! Something about glyphs, or something complicated like that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>More chirping, this time a bit more fervent and wishing to communicate urgency, sounded from the sprite buzzing about Adora’s head. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Y’know, that wouldn’t be a bad idea…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No more than a second had passed by before Adora was sprinting through the grass once more, filled with the frenetic excitement that caused her to forget about the nasty bump her forehead was probably sporting thanks to her unfortunate fall. Maybe if she could get to the village in time before the dragon left she’d be able to join in on the meeting that Razz was going to have.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And how cool would that be? Dragons were solitary creatures that wished nothing more than to be left alone, hunkering down in their caves or other territory with a bark that was just as terrifying their bite. Having one come to their village for the first time automatically communicated to Adora that this meeting was paramount; whatever they wanted to talk to Razz about must be incredibly important.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In record-breaking time Adora burst into the outskirts of the village’s clearing, sweat soaking her shirt and causing strands of her hair to slip down into her vision, albeit unsuccessful in covering the excited smile that adorned her face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Miraculously retaining the same amount of energy as she had when bounding through the forest like a free-spirited pooka, Adora threw herself into the village, narrowly missing a small horde of children on their way to school circle. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Whoops, sorry!” she called out in apology, tiptoeing around a few four-year-olds who gave her dirty looks before full-on sprinting down the dirt path that led her to Razz’s hut.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The closer Adora neared, the larger the looming shadow of the dragon grew, until it almost seemed like the massive creature was nearly blotting out the sun. Her feet slowed down until she came to a mystified halt, and she watched from a distance, eyes fixated on the close exchange of a wild-haired old woman standing calmly before the snout of the dragon. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Its scales gleamed in the sunlight like burning sulfur, sparking off hues of rich gold and light orange, and the way the light danced on the dragon’s skin was all the more mesmerizing to Adora. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She felt like she was living in a dream, watching the elderly woman gesticulate actions with such a comfortable, youthful vibrancy to the creature before her that it wouldn’t be silly to assume the two of them were close friends.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And it was true; the tension between the faeries and her people had lessened immensely, and slowly but surely over the many years that had passed--more years than Adora had been alive--the faeries began to open up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora, of course, hadn't been there at the beginning, but her parents would tell her stories about what it was like before people such as Razz came along, people who actually desired for nothing more than humans and their faerie kinsfolk to coexist peacefully.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Now, Adora couldn’t be more content; she was living the dream that she knew many before her hadn't survived long enough to see. How lucky was she?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Someone pierced through Adora’s reverie with an exuberant shout, and the young girl recognized it immediately as Razz’s aged, crackling voice, reaching to her across the way.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Adora, dearie! Come over here and meet our new friend!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She need not be told twice, and scurried over without another command, taking great care not to trip over an invisible boulder (or her own feet, those would sometimes do the trick too).</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The dragon blinked slowly, and Adora watched with unparalleled amazement how the lids of the creature ran back and forth over the eye horizontally rather than laterally, fostering a sense of foreign, unexplainable wonder.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora’s hair was set aflutter as a deep breath escaped the dragon’s flaring nostrils, but fixing all the loose strands and tucking them into her ponytail was the last thing on her mind. She was standing face-to-face with a dragon, for heaven’s sake.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A deep voice, as powerful as the roar of the ocean waves during a storm, filled the air between them. “Greetings, young one.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora tried swallowing, but found it incredibly hard to do so when she barely even remembered how to talk. “H-Hi! M-My Adora is name.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Razz cackled like a crow and whacked Adora across her shoulder blades with the heft of her crooked broom. “Silly girl--what she’s trying to say is her name is Adora.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora nodded stiffly, still not quite able to control her bodily functions while in the presence of such a mighty creature. She noticed out of her peripheral vision a circle of villagers had started to form, and they spoke to each other in hushed tones brimming with fascination. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The dragon craned their broad neck toward Adora, tilting their head just enough that their enormous, emerald and ochre-flecked eye was lined up directly with Adora’s stupefied face. “You have no need to be afraid. I can sense that you are a valiant individual, and that your heart is kind to both humans and faeries, something that is rare. There is much need for people like you in this world; Razz has taught you well.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Suddenly Adora felt herself regain control over her limbs and the fine motor skills of her fingers, and plunged a hand behind her head to rub at the base of her neck while her skin burned with embarrassment. “Oh, wow...Th-Thanks, I’ve never had anyone--especially not a giant, incredibly awesome dragon--say that to me before, haha!” She elbowed Razz gently, just enough to garner the older woman’s attention before delivering her a brilliant, white, toothy grin that stood contrast to her flushed face. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Another violent gust of wind blew past Adora as the monstrous creature raised their head yet again, this time to return to their original position facing Razz. “In my case I have never been to a human village before where I’ve received a warm welcome. There are many pleasant firsts today, child.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Any news, Khankora?” Razz’s eyes were fixated on the dragon as they finished conversing with Adora, and the large beast nodded its head. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Ah, so their name is Khankora. </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>So </em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>cool!</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“As a matter of fact, yes. Aside from our discussion about glyph instruction and usage, I’ve come to inform you that the queen of Brightmoon has learned about your mission. She’s told me that she is fascinated by your people’s desire to make peace with the fae. The kingdom of Brightmoon would like to aid you in reaching your goal of spreading peace amongst both people, that is, if you are interested in forming a relationship with them.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora reeled back in fright, not from the dragon’s mention of creating a peace pact with the kingdom of Brightmoon, but by the flinging of Razz’s fist in the air and dangerously close to Adora’s temple as the old woman leaped up without warning. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course, of course! The Brightmoon elves are wise, that much I can say! We would be honored for them to join us in this matter.” Razz crowed with as much energy as someone much younger than herself, and in the distance intrigued townspeople watching the discussion between Razz and Khankora broke into smiles and good-natured laughter. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Splendid.” The dragon lifted itself, pressing against the ground with mighty paws the size of a rock giant’s middle, and motioned with a slow nod toward Razz’s hut. “I will make sure to inform them of your similar interest in building ties on my way back home. For now, would you like to begin discussing the usage of glyphs, as we intended?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Razz had already floated past the dragon and toward her hut, where smoke seeped out of the roof’s loose thatching in response to her habitual baking. It wasn’t a mystery figuring out who her berry pie would be for this morning, and Adora wondered if maybe Razz had made this dessert somewhat more “dragon-sized” to better suit their guest’s gastronomical needs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m already ready! Let me just check on the pie and then we can start. I’ll be right back!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before Adora could follow the elderly woman into the hut and stick her finger into said pie to give it a taste test (which was something she did nearly every morning), Razz waved a hand in the air right as Adora attempted to make it into the doorway. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Immediately Adora’s face smashed into the magic energy barrier that Razz had conjured, effectively preventing her from intercepting the pie before Khankora was able to have a bite. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She stumbled back into the dirt, running her hands over her facial features with dramatic urgency to make sure that nothing was crooked or broken. Even if the bridge of her nose was still intact, she wouldn’t be surprised if there was another lump on top of the one she earned from the recent fall she took in the forest. “Aww</span>
  <em>
    <span> c’mon</span>
  </em>
  <span> Razz! Just a taste?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No! You need to go to school circle, Adora!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m too old for school circle now! I graduated last year, don’t you remember?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The ground quaked beneath her feet and Adora found the sun being blotted out of existence once again; their kind dragon visitor had maneuvered themself to stand closer to Razz’s minuscule hut, curiosity piqued by Adora and Razz’s comical conversation.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> “You are hungry too, no?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As if it were her stomach that had been asked the question and not Adora herself, the rumbling in her gut answered before she could even open her mouth. Laughing through clenched teeth the girl took a step back and tried to look up at the towering creature without blinding herself. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nah, it’s okay. Razz is right. I should probably go home and do my chores, considering I don’t have school circle anymore.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are her pies </span>
  <em>
    <span>that </span>
  </em>
  <span>good?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora couldn’t hold back her excitement, and without batting an eyelash initiated the most convincing colloquy of Razz’s berry pies she’d ever pitched, critiquing everything from the texture of the crust to the sweetness of the berries used. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>During all of this, she wasn’t sure if dragons were somber creatures, or if maybe they</span>
  <em>
    <span> did </span>
  </em>
  <span>have lots of feelings and just didn’t know how to represent them. Or maybe it was more along the lines that their reptilian facial construction didn’t allow for them to be so expressive, with all those scales and the giant, menacing maw filled with gleaming fangs as long as a person was tall.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She’d never met a dragon before. But heck, if this wasn’t the coolest thing she’d done during her brief sixteen years of life.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Little did she know that she was about to be blown out of the water by their guest’s next comment and discover that maybe dragons really did have a sense of humor. In their own peculiar way.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe the next time I return I can ask for two pies to be prepared instead of one. Then each of us could enjoy our own share of her dessert.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’d be wonderful!” Adora’s eyes were as bright as the stars that appeared in the sky on a clear summer’s eve, and when a deep, rhythmic rumbling that nearly sounded like thunder emanated from the creature beside her, she knew the dragon was chuckling. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You are a peculiar human. But that is by no means a bad thing.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Something caught Adora’s eye, and she cocked her head to the side, finding Razz glaring at her through the window with her pie clenched tightly against her chest. It looked like she wasn’t planning on coming out any time soon while Adora was around.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Seeing it as an opportune moment to take her leave so that Khankora could continue their meeting with the town elder, Adora grinned, wished the beast a pleasant day and the hopes that they would meet again soon (to share pies, of course), and bid a parting wave before scampering off.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora’s feet mindlessly carried her past her own hut and as soon as she passed the near outskirts of her village again, one more time on her way back out into the forest, she could not calm the quickening tempo of her legs treading against the leaves and sod underfoot.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Pie. Brightmoon. Dragon. Razz. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her sprite friends careened into view from somewhere originally out of sight, fluttering against her head in equally high spirits. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Pie. Razz.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She effortlessly jumped over a fallen log, coated with lichen and toadstools.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Dragon. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was still much of the day left to spend outdoors, and she did not want to waste a single second. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Brightmoon. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>What was Brightmoon like? She’d heard of it, but had never been there. And apparently, according to Khankora, the queen there wanted to help Adora’s people. It was such inspiring news to hear, and the optimism of the whole situation coaxed Adora into running even faster. Her feet were quite literally a brown blur fleeting across the forest landscape, and the sprites beside her thrummed their wings at a speed that rivaled those of a hummingbird to keep up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“There are many pleasant firsts today, child.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The dragon’s words echoed in her mind, and Adora grinned to herself when she had thoroughly contemplated the statement. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Their guest was nothing less than correct.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>For reasons she could not explain, Adora woke up with a start, eyes flashing open without any purposeful intent. Beneath the thin blanket the inn had provided she felt her chest heaving in an accelerated uproar, as if she’d actually been sprinting through the wild.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was nearly pitch-black, save for the timid flame of the candle that Catra had lit earlier, diffidently wavering in the night on a dish between them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Realizing that she was facing the wall, Adora turned on her straw mattress, struggling with the blanket wrapped around her as she tried facing Catra.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The other girl was in a bed less than two feet away, curled up into a fetal position with her tail wrapped against her legs and Double Trouble resting on top of her heaving body in a similar, warmth-retaining pose. Faint streams of candlelight flickered across her back, painting her mane in a lighter brown than Adora knew it really was. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora didn’t want to wake her, but-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I feel like I have to tell her this.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra’s ear swerved upward, catching the creak and rustle of the straw mattress as Adora leaned forward. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The blonde girl looked down at her feet, surprised that they’d moved on their own without asking for her permission in swinging themselves over the bed. And apparently her arm had a mind of its own as well, halfway outstretched in an effort to gently shake Catra’s shoulder. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>It looks like she might be awake. </span>
  </em>
  <span>“Catra?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The other girl grumbled groggily. Adora wasn’t sure how long the two of them had slept, or what time of the night or morning it was. They’d been lucky enough to find an extra room in an inn a few streets down from the market square, right before the sun had seemingly detoured into the depths of space for the rest of the night. As soon as they’d barged into their little room situated above two other floors similarly boarded with guests, Catra had thrown her cloak and their supplies onto the battered chair in the corner and dove headlong into the father of the two beds.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She hadn't mentioned anything else about Adora’s detour into Entrapta’s shop, and Adora decided it would be better not to bring it up again in fear of possibly upsetting either herself or Catra again. Instead, the two of them resorted to their own beds, the toll of exhaustion and a day’s worth of shopping weighing on them both. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If she was correct (sleep was still depriving her mind of congruent memories and events), Adora had heard Catra sleepily mutter before they passed out: “Better get some sleep. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But now Adora couldn’t remain asleep. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Not after her dream. It felt important somehow in a way she couldn’t explain.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Catra!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Still nothing aside from a grumpy-sounding growl, and then the flicking of her ear in muted annoyance at the blonde’s insistence.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora squinted at her roommate. “I know you’re awake.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Go to sleep, Adora.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But I can’t sleep!” Adora rushed over to Catra’s side, plunking herself down at the edge of her already too-small bed, ignorant of the straw slipping out from beneath her with the sudden movement. “Catra, I had this really </span>
  <em>
    <span>weird</span>
  </em>
  <span> dream…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra heaved herself upward to sit with her back against the wall, and poor, unsuspecting Double Trouble flew over her side and landed on the wooden floor with a startled shriek. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You had a weird dream?” Catra asked, rubbing her heavy eyelids before blinking a few times, the pupils of her mismatched irises expanding for a brief moment to gather as much light within the dim room as possible.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Adora confirmed with a strong nod. Her attention was snatched for a brief moment, surprising Adora slightly with the focus of her (almost) interest--in any other situation she probably would have fawned over the way that Catra’s hair stood up everywhere, but seeing how the other girl was gazing at her expectantly, she decided this wasn’t the best time. “I was in the forest, and I met a crazy old lady and this really nice dragon-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra waved a hand at Adora’s confession dismissively, clearly not amused with what had gone on within the other girl’s head as they’d slept. “Don’t we all have a dream about a friendly dragon and a crazy old lady at some point?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Double Trouble was now rubbing their sore, perhaps bruised behind, scowling at both of the girls sitting on the bed as they continued in massaging their tail. “Darling, I can’t imagine you woke us up over such an insignificant dream.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re right Double Trouble, there’s more! The dragon mentioned something about Brightmoon, and how the queen there wanted to help the people and faeries get along, or something like that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The girl sitting across from Adora blinked a few times more, slitted her eyes in thought as if she were suspicious of the statement Adora shared with her, and fixed her friend with a dangerous stare that forced Adora’s pulse to anxiously quicken.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Brightmoon, you said?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes!” Adora tried not to sound so enlivened, but with the way her voice cracked excitedly she betrayed her own attempt at a calm demeanor. “Do you know about Brightmoon? Maybe it’s where my sword is from. I don’t know, I just feel like my dream was trying to tell me something...” she trailed off, her gaze settling on the sword’s sharp, rigid body tucked safely beneath her bed, gleaming like hidden diamonds in the candlelight.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t know if your sword is from Brightmoon, but I do know that the elves that live there used to keep contact with the First Ones,” Catra replied without thinking twice, vocalizing what ideas had been ruminating within her head and were now manifesting themselves. An agitated twitching of something green caught her attention, and she met Double Trouble’s frustrated pout, only to brush it away like she’d only witnessed it by accident.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If they wanted to keep things according to plan, Catra wasn’t supposed to be telling Adora any of this. They were supposed to be heading to the Highlands, not a kingdom that was considered an insignificant detour. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Well...If I think about it, the Highlands are a couple of weeks’ distance away from Brightmoon. It’s not like we’d really be going out of our way to head there, since Brightmoon is closer than the Highlands. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>If we </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>do</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span> end up heading there…</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra could literally hear Double Trouble screaming at her to shut up, to catch all the words and ideas that were cascading through her mind like fallen leaves riding the wild eddies of a rapid. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Maybe if we end up going to Brightmoon, someone there will be able to help us find the sword’s protector…? If the people of Brightmoon were friends with the First Ones, it would seem likely that they would have an idea of who should be wielding the sword. And we don’t have to stay long. It could be a quick pitstop. Then we can continue on our way.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra tapped a finger on her chin in staged thought, hoping that it looked like she was really considering every single, possible option. Which, in a way, she was--just not for Adora’s benefit. “I guess if you want, we could try stopping at Brightmoon on our way to the Highlands. I’m not saying that it’d be helpful, but if you really want to go there that badly...”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora folded her legs into a criss-crossed position as she pondered her friend’s offer, yet it looked like there was something still troubling her. “You know, I still don’t know who these First Ones people are, and if they’re connected to my dream or not. First that shopkeeper girl mentions them, and now you’re bringing them up too and saying that the elves of Brightmoon kept contact with them--who were they?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra’s night vision accentuated the blue that emanated from Adora’s eyes, as well as the way they practically pleaded for her to elaborate on such an elusive topic as the First Ones. Guilt clenched within her chest, as if someone had reached right in and viciously snatched the muscle that kept her blood pumping, strangling what was left of her reluctance.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Oh what the heck. Adora would have found out sooner or later...But with the way she was looking at Catra now, it was nearly impossible for her to drag on the explanation and save it for another time. Although it seemed as though Adora’s dream hadn't given her any closure on being a First One (although Catra sincerely believed it was quite impossible, considering they had died out tens of hundreds of years ago), she thought it might be safe to disclose an appropriate amount of information. Just this once. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A deep breath first. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Time to show off her unexpectedly satisfactory history skills. Although she never would have appeared to be the studious type, sitting in class every single day of her boring life at the academy presented a few benefits; maybe she wasn’t as useless cognitively as Shadow Weaver always claimed Catra was. </span>
</p>
<p><span>“The First Ones were a people who lived here on Etheria a thousand years ago. They were the first human beings, besides the faeries and other magical creatures, capable of using and harnessing magic. Apparently all that they knew came from the help of magical creatures who took a liking to them. After a while a war broke out among the First Ones and the other humans, and then they kind of just disappeared after that.”</span><span><br/></span> <span>“Disappeared…?” Adora’s whisper was low and frightful, as if she’d say it any louder she’d somehow wake the entire inn. “What do you mean?”</span></p>
<p>
  <span>Catra shrugged. “I dunno. Most people think the First Ones died during the war and that’s why there’s none of them left anymore. All the other humans hated them because they had the ability to use magic, something that only faeries can do.” A grin found its way onto her lips, and her fangs slipped over them to flash at Adora in the faint candlelight. “But hey, magic isn’t dead. There’s plenty of creatures who still know how to use it. Like me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora shook her head, not quite satisfied with how the story ended. “No...It’s just--I don’t understand how or </span>
  <em>
    <span>why </span>
  </em>
  <span>anybody would destroy people who wanted to make peace. It’s wrong.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Adora.” Catra’s arm brushed against the other girl’s as she sidled up closer to her on the bed, the old straw filaments of the simple mattress snapping beneath their combined weight. “People can be cruel. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Evil. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Sometimes they do things for the wrong reasons. And that’s what happened a thousand years ago when the First Ones were-” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She didn’t want to say it again. She couldn’t.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora’s body shivered beside her, and immediately Catra felt like reaching over and placing an arm around her shoulder again, just like she had before when they’d left Entrapta’s store earlier that evening. It was confusing; she wasn’t the touchy type, never had been. Even with Double Trouble the most she’d do was give them a flick on their runty nose, or ruffle the hair between their freakishly large but fitting ears.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But being here with Adora, taking care of her, instructing her on the way things worked, showing her around: they were all things that made her feel that much closer, even though never in a million years would she have imagined herself in this position. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She had a role; she needed to keep Adora safe. Whether that be from physical danger, or the truth. This girl was her responsibility now, was she not? And if anything happened to Adora, Catra wouldn’t be able to answer the question that scorched her mind each and everyday like a relentless, searing brand would. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The ghost that had snaked its claws inside her chest earlier on in their late-night conversation crumpled her heart again between cold, vice-like talons. It was incredibly painful, and although it made her want to keel over the side of the bed and really question the morality of her motives, it also convicted her to attempt something else, something she hadn't done before. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She reached for Adora’s hand in the dark, feeling the clammy palm of the other girl twitch within her grasp like a dying bird before curling around her own fingers. “It’ll be okay. We’ll go to Brightmoon.”  </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>welp, my main goal for this chapter was to give you more info about adora. if you have any questions or comments about any of that dream/backstory/both? thing, please direct them to the review box, and i'll do my best to answer what i can without spoiling things. xD</p>
<p>a big thank you to everyone who reviewed the last time (i really appreciate it, honestly!!), and another thank you to everyone else who continues to read this story as i update. see you next time! :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Nine</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>so this chapter is noticeably longer than most of the others i've posted...the reason for this is because i didn't want to split it up, haha. it made more sense to me to make this one whole chapter, since it revolves around these two buddies. :)</p>
<p>next chapter we'll get back to catra and adora, but hopefully you also enjoy this! now i gotta make some changes to the tags to show we've got more characters, lol</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Being the daughter of an ethereal, immortal, valkyrie queen had a number of...what would be the right word? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Complications” fit the description she was looking for. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was a beautiful day, and Glimmer was more than ecstatic to finally find a moment to herself where she wasn’t confined to the castle. The amount of time it took to successfully sneak out of the thousand year old fortress with simply herself, a woven basket, and thin, rolled-up blanket was insane, but she knew the picnic that followed would be worth it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Glimmer cast one last look at the castle behind her, waved adieu to the sparkling, opal-esque walls, and skipped on down the path that led out into the surrounding city. Careful not to spill anything within the basket she held the container close; those jelly tarts she’d snatched from the kitchen weren’t easy to come by, and if they’d somehow manage to topple into the dirt she definitely wouldn’t go back to the castle to get more.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A bit further down the path where the dirt transcended into patchy grass someone called out to her, and there, underneath the shade of a weathered but strong willow tree, she caught sight of a grinning faun. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Today, just the same as always, Bow had on a too-short, sleeveless cardigan that revealed his blessed midriff, along with his trusty bow and quiver full of arrows strapped to his back. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Such a welcoming sight caused Glimmer to tighten her grip on the basket before hustling over his way. “Bow! I never thought I was going to make it out of there alive!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The boy chuckled and performed an over-exaggerated curtsy in front of the princess, only before placing a hand on her shoulder and gazing into her eyes deeply, as if he wished to know the entire truth of her dire situation. “Is it really that bad? I’m so sorry Glimmer, I shouldn’t have asked you to come out he-”</span>
</p>
<p><span>Glimmer’s hand clasped itself over Bow’s mouth, preventing him from uttering another word. She didn’t want to hear any apologies. “No, don’t even </span><em><span>think</span></em><span> about it. None of this is your fault, Bow. My mom’s just been under a lot of pressure with this whole problem with my dad, so it makes sense that she’d be all over me for doing little things. Little things like hanging out with my friend, y’know. </span><em><span>Rebellious, </span></em><span>insignificant</span> <span>stuff like that.” By the end of her confession Glimmer had melted into the grass, her mind still occupied as she began unwrapping the bundle of food she’d stuffed into the basket. </span></p>
<p>
  <span>Bow took a seat beside her, knuckles clenched tightly together over his thighs and jaw clenched as he waited for Glimmer to become a bit more relaxed. When she appeared to be devouring her sandwich at a normal rate, Bow felt comfortable enough to ask another question while popping one of the Glimmer’s smuggled tarts into his mouth. “Is your dad any better?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not really…” She wasn’t completely opposed to talking about her father’s health, but being out here in the sunshine with Bow made her want to discuss other things. The castle was behind her physically, but she wanted it to, at least for right now, be something she could also place behind her metaphorically. Just for long enough that she’d be able to enjoy this picnic. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“His condition hasn’t gotten any better, but it also hasn’t gotten much worse. At least I think that’s what my mom’s been saying...” she mumbled through a mouthful of sandwich. “Nothing’s really changed with him. I wish I could help out more though, instead of annoying my mom. And it’s not like I even </span>
  <em>
    <span>want </span>
  </em>
  <span>to be annoying--she just kind of brings out the annoyingness in me, if that makes sense?”</span>
</p>
<p><span>Bow nodded, a new tart pinched between his fingers as he nodded in understanding, completely absorbed with the conversation. He always had been the best listener. “I totally understand what you mean. It's like you </span><em><span>want to </span></em><span>be there for your parents, but their nagging and overprotectiveness kind of just ruins things. I have the same issue with my dads.”</span><span><br/></span> <span>“Yes!!” Glimmer hands shot into the air exasperatedly at the same time that her wings spread themselves in an similarly annoyed manner, and the simultaneous act of both startled Bow enough enough into diving into the picnic blanket to evade getting whacked in the face. </span></p>
<p>
  <span>Despite this, Glimmer didn’t seem to realize her accidental, instigated scare, and continued with her rant. “You know </span>
  <em>
    <span>exactly </span>
  </em>
  <span>how I feel! Ugh, I just hate it, it’s the worst. When I go back to the castle I just </span>
  <em>
    <span>know</span>
  </em>
  <span> my mom’s going to bombard me with questions left and right about where I’ve been and who I’ve been with and anything else you can possibly imagine…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was a moment when she stopped to catch her breath, and when she had finally done so, barely pieced together that Bow was lying on the ground, his hoofs idly dangling in the air. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh, Bow…?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re good, Glimmer. I’m still listening. Just had to readjust myself.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Gently, the wings sprouting from her back returned themselves to their folded positions against her shoulder blades, and something similar to shame bribed Glimmer’s voice into dropping an octave lower. “I’m sorry. I just get really frustrated sometimes.” The sandwiches sitting on the plate before her suddenly reminded her of the castle, and she refrained from taking another bite as she stared at them gloomily. “I appreciate you being here and not, like, judging me or anything.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’d never judge you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She looked down at Bow, who was working on what she guessed could be his third tart, and although she could have been worrying about having not brought enough pastries for the picnic considering how fast Bow was inhaling them, instead Glimmer couldn't help a soft smile from blossoming across her features. “Thanks.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They remained under the willow tree for a while, sunlight seeping through the throngs of vines that hung down over the two in a canopy of falling leaves. Within a few hours Glimmer finally discovered that they’d somehow ran out of jelly tarts, and the sandwiches were razed into nothing more than a few shreds of bread crumbs and cheese scraps. The fruit that Glimmer had also brought, thinking it’d be a refreshing sort of snack they could enjoy after their main course, had also dwindled into a few measly slices. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Glimmer was just about to touch on the topic of baking; she and Bow had sworn to each other this week they’d both try the new recipe for chocolate cake they’d discovered in the castle library, each of them vowing to create the most delectable version. It was a sort of ritualized contest they initiated when bored, and with the thought suddenly careening into her mind, Glimmer was beyond elated to inform Bow that she’d managed to create a cake for the first time without burning something--Bow was the ultimate pastry chef, but today she wasn’t about to relinquish that title so easily-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What time is it?!” Bow bolted up from the ground so quickly that Glimmer thought he’d get whiplash, but when the faun only continued to stare at her completely unfazed she decided to answer his question. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s probably almost dinner time, I think…?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh no oh no </span>
  <em>
    <span>oh no</span>
  </em>
  <span>--” Bow scrambled across the grass, kicking up some of the blanket beneath them in an effort to get back onto his hooves. “I told my dads I’d be back home on time to help them get dinner started. We’re making something special tonight because it’s Fullmoon Harvest, and if I’m late they’re going to be upset…” Bow trailed off, his words fading into oblivion as Glimmer digested his culinary-related frenzy while her eyebrows knitted together. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So much for asking Bow how his chocolate cake came out this week. She’d make sure to ask him next time when he wasn’t so busy. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The young faun gave her a tight hug, one that Glimmer wished would last just a bit longer, and with another one of his incredibly adorable waves he was off, sprinting down the path and toward the direction of his home.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Glimmer sighed, automatically feeling her attention being drawn to the castle looming behind her once again now that Bow had vanished. She didn’t want to go back, not yet. With what time she did get to spend outside of the castle, there always seemed to be an unequal trade-off with the time she was (illegitimately) forced to spend inside. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Gathering her basket and leaving the remaining crumbs of their picnic underneath the tree for a sprite or other small creature to be gifted a free meal, she gathered her picnic supplies, took a deep breath, and began making her way up the path to return.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Glimmer desperately hoped she could say the same thing about her mother in comparison to how nice the guards were, upon letting her return after her little excursion to meet with Bow. Wishful thinking wasn’t anything she’d give up hope on in normal circumstances, but when it came to Queen Angella of Brightmoon, Glimmer didn’t foster very much faith.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And so there she stood, basking in her mother’s undying retribution as the queen pinpointed the fact that Glimmer had slipped out </span>
  <em>
    <span>again </span>
  </em>
  <span>in the past week to meet up with her friend, and the only thing the princess wanted to do was burrow into her bedsheets with a pillow over her head to block out her mother’s disquisition.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But at this point Glimmer didn’t feel like arguing anymore, and instead she just stood there, taking the brunt of the scolding for what she knew was the umpteenth time in her short life. Her mother would tire out sooner or later. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I...I believe that is enough for today,” Queen Angella murmured, coughing once into her fist and then straightening the frills of her sleeves as she eyed Glimmer cautiously. Her eyes wavered for a moment over the princess, and recognizing for the first time during her lecture that Glimmer sincerely looked sorry, felt a pang of sorrow within her heart that coaxed her into switching her hyper-fixating to elsewhere. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I am to meet with your aunt, and I know I’ve been keeping her waiting long enough,” the queen announced without another beat, the quickened yet strenuous beating of her heart from her discussion with Glimmer only just starting to slow down. “Go eat dinner and continue with your studies. I intend to make sure you’ve completed them by this evening if you haven’t already started them. There are a number of things I must attend to this evening, so I will do what I can to visit you before bed.”</span>
</p>
<p><span>Glimmer was biting down on her tongue, struggling terribly to hold back the stream of angered consciousness she’d been hoarding upon hearing the parting words of her mother. </span><em><span>Really? I’m over arguing with her, but now she thinks after an entire lecture about me going out for a few hours</span></em><b><em> that she can order </em></b><em><span>me to eat dinner alone,</span></em> <em><span>and then say I need to finish my studies before bed? This is taking her micromanaging to a new level...Don’t expect me to do any of those things that you said, Mom. </span></em></p>
<p>
  <span>Softly, as faint as the pitter-patter of morning rain against the windowsill, a voice manifested within Glimmer’s stubborn mind, and she found herself thinking of her father and his kind smile.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her mother was gone now, and the princess felt safe muttering out a few words of conversation to herself. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What would Dad say to me right now?” Glimmer whispered absentmindedly as she wandered down the hall toward her room, the picnic basket swinging within her grasp. “Probably something about how I should listen to Mom, even though she’s being a bully…” </span>
  <em>
    <span>And then again, it’s not like she </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>wants </em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>to be running the kingdom on her own right now. I know Auntie Casta is here for support until Dad gets better, but even then she’s always so intense...But it feels like Mom’s always taking everything out on me.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Were it not for the obstinate streak that Glimmer harbored (it usually made her particularly easy to agitate), she would have taken note of the thoughts within her mind, chiding her simmering anger and taken to the royal dining hall as her mother had required.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But today was another one of those days when the stubborn streak penetrated all amiable suggestions, whether they be from her rarely righteous conscience or not. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And so the princess hustled down the hallways, skittering around traversing guards until she finally stood outside the one place she wanted to be most right now. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Beside her father. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her gloved hands reached out shakily, and though Glimmer knew her father was very likely in the same state he had been yesterday and maybe even a week before, she couldn’t help herself from entertaining the idea that maybe he’d smile in his sleep, just for her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The two guards positioned outside of her parents’ room eyed her warily, and Glimmer cracked a nervous laugh before turning her attention back to the doorway in front of her. The wood was smooth and cold underneath her fingertips, and as she pressed them against the entryway to create a space large enough for herself to squeeze through, she nearly forgot how to breathe.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>What was left of the warm rays created by the setting sun poured through the large windows, casting intricate shadows created by the woven, wooden posts that stood sentry at every corner of the king’s bed. A man with a greying beard lay nestled between deep purple bed sheets, his chest rising and falling in a labored, raspy pattern that permeated the silence every few seconds. It was so arduous that it made Glimmer shudder, and taking the utmost precaution she wrung her hands together under the handle of the picnic basket she’d been lugging around and made her way to her father’s side. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The color in his face had drained; what she remembered used to be a deep tan, sun-kissed by countless hours spent outdoors had been reduced to a sickly shade of off-white. His hands, folded regally over his chest in a position that reminded her too much of something she’d see when one passes away, were etched in the most curious-looking veins, thin and ranging from dark grey to nearly black. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This wasn’t her father’s face, and these weren’t her father’s hands. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yet no one could figure out what in the name of Etheria’s Knight it had reduced the king’s body to something so fragile, and no one could elaborate on where the sickness had originated from. Every physician that had visited, every elven mage within the realm had visited the castle to hopefully bring some kind of answer to Queen Angella and her daughter. Each one of them retained the goal of exposing the diabolical sickness that plagued the king of Brightmoon. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And yet none were able to identify or heal the man, and it wasn’t just stirring fear in Queen Angella’s heart of what was to become of him, but the sickness also forced her to share such distress with her daughter and sister-in-law Castaspella, queen of their neighboring elven kingdom Mystacor. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Glimmer rested the basket within her white-knuckled grasp on the ground beside her feet, and reached over to place a hand on her father’s shoulder. “Dad…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Something like arguing sounded from the other side of the doorway before Glimmer had a chance to say anything else, and her heart surged into her chest, threatening to escape. Judging by the tone of the individual she assumed would enter, she was confident that it was her mother, joined by someone else. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Glimmer wasn’t incredibly strong-suited in quick-thinking, but when the situation called for her to react and be on her toes, she was flexible to an extent she currently knew not the bounds of. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Snatching up the picnic basket from its spot on the floor she lunged into one of the sizable, empty vases that lined the walls just as eagerly as she would into the river on a summer afternoon. As soon as she felt the fired clay pressing all around her like a book squished between two ends, Glimmer was quite enraged with tossing herself into such a confined space. To make matters worse, she’d been sweating bullets over the past few seconds as she fretted over the basket not fitting, seeing as how she had to jerk the handle three times before it whacked her in the forehead.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At the last possible second her mother came in, followed by who she now realized was her aunt, and the pounding in Glimmer’s sternum decelerated enough for her to ears to snatch fragments of their conversation. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s back, ‘Spella. I can </span>
  <em>
    <span>feel </span>
  </em>
  <span>it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you sure? I wish I could say more, give you more input on this, but unfortunately I wasn’t around when it happened. Even so, your magic is never wrong.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I didn’t want to tell anyone else about this because I know they’d believe me to be absolutely </span>
  <em>
    <span>rabid</span>
  </em>
  <span>, but I don’t feel like there are many other choices left. We’ve tried all of them.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Glimmer made a face, trying to imagine her mother looking anything relatively close to embarrassed at the confession. It was incredibly hard, and using up more oxygen to try and construct something so infrequent made her head hurt. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If we can find the sword and the one who wields it, we stand a chance of discovering the origin of this…” A pause, and Glimmer knew her mother was looking at her father. “This horrible curse. If we are able to do that, then it is possible that we can save Micah.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Save my dad? With a sword? What is Mom talking about?!</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t know how much time he has left, but let’s say that we decide to find this sword, given that at this point everything we’ve tried has been unsuccessful. How do you plan on retrieving it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I...I believe it will be best for me to go alone. I have the ability to sense the magic the sword emits, and I know the one who keeps it. She is a First One, but knowing she’s awakened after a thousand years, I doubt she will remember everything after all of this time.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Within the vase, Glimmer was close to asphyxiating herself with how little she was breathing due to not wanting to be discovered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“‘Spella...Will you watch the kingdom for me? I promise I will be back as soon as possible.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Glimmer was positive her aunt was hesitating, but only because of how ludicrous the plan sounded. Well, at least to Glimmer it did...Her mother hardly ever left the castle, let alone venture out past the kingdom’s boundary to gather First Ones relics. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You have my word.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But you absolutely mustn’t let anyone outside of the castle know I am gone. If the kingdom were to know that I’ve left to retrieve a sword no one has seen in a thousand moons, I do not believe it will go very well. As it is, I don’t know how I should tell Glimmer...That is, if I should even let her know.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I, for one, think Glimmer would appreciate you telling her,” Glimmer heard her aunt murmur softly, and at that moment she swore she’d never loved her Aunt Casta more. “She’s your daughter.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was a troubled sigh, and Glimmer could feel the cool, smooth surface of the vase attempt to relieve the burning along her skin instead of inducing what once had been such a horrifying, claustrophobic experience.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She doesn’t take things well. I haven’t decided yet about telling her, but I will think about it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“When will you leave?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Tonight. There is no time to lose.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Castaspella was worried; Glimmer could tell by the somber tone her voice embodied when she uttered the queen’s name in a hushed proclamation. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Angella</span>
  </em>
  <span>, don’t you think this is too quickly? Don’t you want to think it over a bit longer?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, there isn’t any more time to think! We’re losing Micah more and more with each passing day. I </span>
  <b>
    <em>must</em>
  </b>
  <span> do this...I can’t stand around any longer hoping something will suddenly fix everything. I need to find this sword.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Glimmer heard nothing more for a few moments aside from the rustling of clothes, muffled sniffling, and then a cough that strained to keep its owner under control of their emotions. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...I need to attend to some business with the staff and inform them of my decision before I leave. If you would like to accompany me I believe that will be best.”</span>
</p>
<p><span>A reply to the queen’s wish tumbled obediently into the already tense atmosphere. “...Of course.”</span><span><br/></span> <span>Resounding footsteps faded away, slowly but surely, and when the door shut behind her mother and aunt with a soft </span><em><span>“thud”, </span></em><span>Glimmer allowed herself to enjoy a deep inhale. She hadn't noticed it before, but the picnic basket handle was cutting off the circulation to her knees, and she was starting to feel pins and needles in her wings. </span></p>
<p>
  <span>She wanted to move but impossibly heavy thoughts constrained any type of movement, like the weight of gravity had suddenly increased and become ten times more powerful. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Mom really thinks she can just disappear and go look for some sword that will help Dad, all by herself? It’s not going to be that easy. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I’m not letting her go alone. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Suddenly filled with much more determination than was probably beneficial at this exact moment, Glimmer tossed the picnic basket over the vase’s rim and clambered out, her arms, legs, and wings a crumpled mess as she extracted herself from the vessel. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hurrying over to the window to discard the basket nearby the table which her mom toiled over so often, fiddling with potions and spellbooks, Glimmer fumbled with the latch of the large windows behind her father’s bed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>First she pushed open the window just a crack, and then continued extending her arm out farther away until the glass was gone and nothing more separated her from the evening sky. Below, the royal garden, filled year-round with blushing roses and a wavering carpet of the softest grass imaginable, invited her to stay and relax a while. To thoroughly think things through amongst the trees and their growing shadows while the sun receded farther down into the sky.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But nope. It was a request that she couldn’t answer, not right now. There was somewhere she needed to go, and quickly, before her mother made any other rash decisions. Forget leaving the castle through the front door like she usually did--if her mother figured out she was leaving </span>
  <em>
    <span>again </span>
  </em>
  <span>instead of having dinner and continuing with her studies like she’d requested, Glimmer would no doubt be grounded for sure.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Please please </span>
  <em>
    <span>please </span>
  </em>
  <span>don’t let me fall,” the girl pleaded to no one in particular, her eyes squeezed shut so tightly that it was almost painful when she timidly opened one enough to glimpse the reluctant unfurling of her wings. It was a good idea to double check that they were working properly before she made her daring, probably incredibly rash castle breakout.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Now flying wasn’t an area that Princess Glimmer was exactly the most...experienced in. As a young child she’d been fascinated by the fact that she too, just like her mother, had wings--her father often grumbled with mock-jealousy when Angella wanted to show off, even if it was just to make Micah pout--but for reasons that Glimmer couldn’t explain, she’d never been the kind to stay aloft for very long. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If she ever thought about it too long, she’d always chalked it up to her mother being so overprotective, ultimately refraining her from performing any crazy stunts either in the castle or outside of its walls.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Putting her debatable talent aside, the garden was a long way down, but she’d make it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>At least I think I can make it.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Here goes.” With one last, furtive look her father’s way, Glimmer mustered enough courage to completely unfurl her wings, and before any second thoughts were able to manifest in her mind she took a step into nothing. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Holding back the screams had been the hardest part, and aside from the scrapes and bruises (and perhaps a few thorns) she’d picked up after unceremoniously fluttering down into the hedges of rose bushes below, she was completely fine. Maybe a little shaken up, but mostly fine.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That was only the first step of her escape plan: getting to Bow’s place took her longer than she’d wished...her mother, if she was lucky, would be too busy devising preparations for her departure to realize Glimmer wasn’t at dinner, and indeed hadn't resorted to her room to continue studying those stupid, ancient scrolls the princess hated so much. If Glimmer wanted to make this work, she needed to be back home before her mother wished her a goodnight; although it sounded a bit childish, it was a ritual the two of them had silently sworn to keeping, especially with the present degradation of the king’s health. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sneaking past the castle’s fortress for the second time that day was extremely energy-draining, and when Glimmer finally stood on the wooden doorsteps of Bow’s home, she had to summon every ounce of strength still remaining in her body to knock on the door loud enough to be heard. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Bow! Bow, it’s me, Glimmer! We need to talk, this is really important!” Glimmer huffed, arms crossed impatiently as she heard what sounded like awkward muffled conversation, followed by someone fumbling with cooking utensils. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If Glimmer’s memory was still intact after that purposeful fall she’d taken nearly an hour before, Bow had mentioned he’d be making a special Fullmoon Harvest dinner with his dads- </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Glimmer? What are you doing here?” Bow stood in the doorway with some sort of cozy-looking apron that covered his midriff, much to Glimmer’s dismay--she’d always been so used to seeing him in an eternal crop top, and it nearly drew her attention away from the situation at hand. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No time to explain.” She pushed past Bow without sparing him so much as another glance, and when he’d succeeded in closing the door behind her she seized his hand and began dragging him away. “I’m sorry George, I’m sorry Lance--I need to borrow your son for a moment,” Glimmer promulgated while standing in the too-small hallway for her domineering presence while Bow’s dads, obviously busy stewing over the large pot cradled by their fireplace, gave her matching blank looks.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>George had a wooden ladle held up to his mouth, deep into a taste-test of whatever delicious recipe it was they were concocting, nodding briefly in understanding before slurping up the rest of the spoon’s contents. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lance, on the other hand, just blinked a few times, obviously not bewildered by Glimmer’s assertive claim, and waved a hand in the twos’ direction. “No problem, Glimmer,” he winked at the princess, grinning slyly as Bow sent him a very worried, very desperate look. “You can borrow Bow any time you like. Just don’t be too long! You don’t want to miss dinner. Bow helped make it, so George and I </span>
  <em>
    <span>know </span>
  </em>
  <span>it’s going to be absolutely scrumptious.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Dad, wait! I didn’t sign up for this-” Was all that Bow could get out before he was whisked away by a one-track minded Glimmer, who was now shoving him down the hall and into the boy’s room before he could voice any more pleads of mercy. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...Glimmer, what’s happening?” Bow’s voice cracked, just like it always did when he was nervous, and the young faun played with the rim of his lavender-colored patched apron as he watched Glimmer pace back and forth. Seeing Glimmer pacing was not a good sign.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The princess sighed deeply, enough desperation in the sound to communicate that whatever it was she was about to tell him probably wasn’t going to be pleasant. Running a hand through her hair, Glimmer wasn’t surprised when a few rose leaves fell out and landed on the floor. “It’s my mom.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Glimmer, we’ve talked about her already-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No! It’s not anything we talked about already,” Glimmer accidentally quipped more harshly than intended, and she inwardly cringed as Bow recoiled slightly at the tone. “My mom is leaving.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?! Where??”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t know, out into the wilderness past Brightmoon!” Waving a hand to motion to something behind her, (Glimmer’s metaphorical-turned-physical proposition of “the wilderness”, Bow assumed), the princess flopped down onto her friend’s bed with another defeated sigh. “She said she’s going to look for a sword that she thinks can help cure my dad’s illness, or something like that. She also said she doesn’t want anyone to know that she’ll be gone.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The straw mattress sunk beneath the weight of another person finding space beside her, and Glimmer didn’t have to lift her head to know that Bow had decided to finally bring himself closer, despite her maniacal confession. “And how do you know this?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I heard her say it to Auntie Casta. They didn’t know I was listening.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A few beats of silence filled the tension between them, and then a question Bow knew Glimmer must have been contemplating as well wove its way into his mind. “So what are you going to do..?” He watched as Glimmer laid there a moment longer on the mattress, just inhaling and exhaling deeply, and Bow figured she was trying to regain her composure.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Glimmer sat up slowly, propping her weight on her elbows just enough that she could face Bow without craning her neck too much. “There’s only one thing I can do. I’m going to go after her. She’s insane, thinking she’s going to do it alone.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wait a minute--whoah whoah whoah-” Bow waved his hands, afraid to even begin contemplating the words he heard slipping out of Glimmer’s mouth. Ever since they’d been kids, they’d also been best friends--and Bow had come to familiarize himself with first-hand experience of the impulsiveness that simmered within Glimmer’s heart. It was the driving force that assisted in helping her make all sorts of interesting decisions. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He didn’t want to tell her, spirits forbid, but she was very much like her mother in ways she didn’t notice. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Glimmer...You know you can’t just go running off alone into the forest after your mom, especially if she doesn't want you going with her. ‘Cause that’s the kind of vibe I’m getting from this whole situation right now.”</span>
</p>
<p><span>“Well then you’ve pretty much got the whole thing, because that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”</span><span><br/></span> <span>He wasn’t sure when it had happened during their conversation, but Bow found himself up against the doorway, the tough wood ingraining the individual creases of the planks into his back. “Glimmer…”</span></p>
<p>
  <span>“And I won’t go alone because you’re going to come with me, Bow!” Somehow, considering the iffy circumstances of her plans, an optimistic vibrancy returned to Glimmer’s features, and although Bow dreadfully wanted to deny her claim, he knew doing so would only stir her stubbornness and lead to some sort of argument. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m coming with you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes.” A vibrant smile, the kind that brightened each and every day that Bow spent with the princess. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And how can you be so sure..?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was no particular reason he was asking this question, for Bow already knew the answer. He’d known it for a very long time; seeing her excited about something never ceased to perpetuate his own happiness, and although he’d never rightfully oppose her unless absolutely necessary, he thought it couldn’t hurt to hear the answer again from Glimmer herself. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s easy.” Glimmer left the bed and was now standing in front of Bow, her smile softening into a nervous yet honest addition that splayed across her features. She watched him gaze up at her from his bedroom floor, and realized she never ever wanted to take him for granted. Bow was simply someone she couldn’t visualize living her life without. Perhaps now she was pushing the limits of the promise she’d made to herself to not take their friendship for granted, but finding the tender sincerity within his deep brown eyes, reality begged to differ. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Because you’re my best friend.”  </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>thoughts, questions, and comments are always greatly appreciated! i hope you all are having a wonderful weekend, and that you'll join me for the next installment--until next time o7</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Ten</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>catra and adora have an epic battle, and scorpia meets a new friend</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Adora felt a mixture of ease and wariness course through her body, plaguing every waking moment of the day in a way she couldn’t fully describe to Catra or even herself. Perhaps it was because her dream the past night had provided her, Catra, and Double Trouble with what could affectionately be called a “clue” in guiding them on their journey. Yet at the same time the dream, with the blessed delivery of a reason for them to detour from the straight path to the Highlands, carried with it countless questions that she didn’t know the answers to.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So there Adora sat, alone in a cozy, secluded patch of forest clearing, mulling over any detail she remembered from the story that played within her mind the night before. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With her brain churning relentlessly, she rested her head on top of her knees and leaned forward, gently tracing the ring of petals around a yellow chrysanthemum billowing to and fro with the wind rushing past. An empty handkerchief lay beside her, scattered on top of it nothing but a few measly remains of some bread and jerky that she’d been given for lunch. The food they’d picked up at the market yesterday was good; Adora hadn't remembered the last time she went shopping and acquired such delicious food, not surprisingly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The three of them had left the village early in the morning, more specifically right when the sun was peeking over the horizon, right after checking out of the inn. The innkeeper had given the two girls and the hobgoblin a strange look, and Adora could imagine the swirling, suspicious thoughts that were racing through his mind as Catra handed him the key to their room. Maybe they were the same things in his head that Entrapta had been muttering to herself when they’d entered her shop. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Those piercing, overjoyed eyes of hers--had they been glowing because of the rare chance she’d encountered such a sword as Adora’s? Apparently it was a First One’s relic, according to Entrapta. Or maybe she’d been enraptured by the mysterious beings that had set foot into her parlor? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora hadn't taken much notice of the way people viewed her until now, ironically enough; she’d thought, ever since meeting Catra, that although she’d been lost, she was normal.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was everything else around her--finding out Catra was a type of being called a magicat, the sprites who’d been launching acorns at her, seeing a hobgoblin for the first time, and realizing that magic was a mundane commodity amongst certain people--that made her realize </span>
  <em>
    <span>she</span>
  </em>
  <span>, in fact, was the oddity. And so was the sword that rested within her palms from the moment she gained consciousness. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> In a way she figured recognizing her unique situation only now, after she’d dreamt something both startling and thought-arousing, might be for the best. It helped that Catra was constantly reminding Adora that she needed to pay attention to her surroundings and not let anything happen to the sword and such, and Adora took a moment to silently thank whatever gods were listening to her for keeping her sword within her sight throughout their day in the village, despite her blissful ignorance of how truly valuable the weapon was. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But really, out here in the forest who did she have to watch out for? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The blonde girl smirked to herself, smugly raising her eyebrows for a split second before dragging out the memory of being tackled by a band of rogue sprites the day she met Catra. Unfortunately those little creatures hadn't been as friendly as the ones within her dream. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Out here, hopefully all I have to worry about are those annoying little sprites...And it’s not like they can take my sword or anything. I”ll be fine. But if something scarier happens to come alo-</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Whatcha doing?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora’s heart cavorted into her throat at the sudden question and the added presence of someone standing frighteningly near to her. The uncontrollable nerves running haywire up and down her body caused Adora to fling herself forward, and the girl landed with limbs scrambled in an embarrassing heap. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wahhh, why’d you do that?! You scared me half to death!!” Adora scanned the grass around her for her sword, wishing that it had been closer to her at the moment of interruption in case the intruder might have been someone else other than Catra. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her weapon gleamed back at her innocently from nearly ten feet away, tossed haphazardly into a patch of tall, overgrown grass dotted by autumn wildflowers. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It always seemed like Catra was up to something devious with the way her grin penetrated Adora’s already short supply of confidence; like someone had just poked a hole in the bottom of another’s canteen to drain it of water, and committed such an act out of innocent diablerie. Adora could literally feel her self-assurance (which wasn’t much, at least not at the moment) draining from her being whenever Catra was near. Something about the way the other girl carried herself practically screamed at anyone else to move out of the way, and if they didn’t then they’d have to be brave enough to face her jeers, claws, and magic combined. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra just laughed, and the sound made Adora’s heart feel a bit lighter, like Catra hadn't really intended to frighten the living daylights out of her. “I’m sorry, geez. I didn’t know you scare so easily,” she relented as she placed a hand on her slender hip, shifting her weight onto the right side of her body. “You doing alright? You seemed a bit distracted today, and I thought I’d check up on you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora had been busy regaining her balance, and finding a comfortable position where she was kneeling down on both of her shins, she tried giving Catra an appreciative smile. “Yeah, I’m alright! I was just thinking about...things.” </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ugh, now I’m making myself sound skeptical!</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At the mention of the extremely vague wording Catra raised an eyebrow. “That doesn’t sound good. Does it have anything to do with the dream you had last night?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora let out a stifled laugh, unsuccessful in finding Catra’s sarcasm and teasing particularly endearing in its own way. “Hey, it’s not as bad as you think, honestly! But yeah, I’ve been thinking about the dream...What it meant, and where my sword is from. Where </span>
  <em>
    <span>I’m </span>
  </em>
  <span>from.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The sword’s owner, feeling a bit valiant and willing to try adding some of her own zest to the conversation , heaved herself up and waltzed over to Catra to poke a finger into the other girl’s sternum. “And thanks to you and your incredible stealth, I made myself look like a complete d-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Dunderhead?” Catra’s grin only widened, and Adora folded her arms across her chest, absolutely having no other choice but to look away this time from the other girl’s emboldened confidence. It was blinding. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...I was going to say ‘dummy’ but yeah, ‘dunderhead’ works too, I guess,” Adora finished, after a few moments finding more courage within herself to finally face Catra again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And when Adora did this time, she was completely astounded to see the mage holding her sword out to her, the stem of golden hilt grasped tightly between her claws and pointed in Adora’s direction for her to take. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Here. I’ll train you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wait. Train me for what..? And why?” Adora’s fingers grazed the handle of the sword held out between the two of them, her gaze flipping back and forth between Catra’s crooked yet warm smile and the weapon inches away. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m going to train you how to fight, </span>
  <em>
    <span>dummy.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Catra applauded herself inwardly for using the demeaning but somehow simultaneously hilarious description which Adora had been so set on incorporating in her own self-degradation. “I know all you can think about right now is your dream, and that’s not a bad thing. But now that you know your sword is special--I mean, we all say Entrapta fawning over it like someone placed ten sacks of gold on the counter--there’s a reason to protect it. We need it to get you home, and you need to learn how to hold your ground in the case that someone wants to take it away.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Drawing her hands up to her neck now that Adora had taken the sword (albeit confusedly), Catra undid the button that kept her cloak wrapped snug around her torso and tossed it onto the ground a few feet away. Then she reached behind her back, and finding it tucked safely between the base of her spine and the belt wrapped around her waist, plucked the sheathed dagger out of its safekeeping area. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let’s start with a duel. I wanna see what you know and what you’re capable of when holding a weapon,” Catra continued, throwing the dagger sheath onto the discarded cloak and beginning to circle a disoriented Adora who had only begun to take a defensive stance. “Right now we’re going to start practicing. You don’t want to get beat up again by people like Lonnie, do you? You need to know how to fight.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora gulped, hating the tight sensation of her chest feeling like it was preparing to burst. She didn’t know the first thing about fighting, let alone against someone as experienced in magic and (apparently?) dagger usage like Catra. The weight of the sword, its lengthy expanse of regal blade, and the sparkling gem glowing in the fraction where the hilt and the blade connected filled her with an ounce of hope, telling her that she did have some sort of advantage, even if it may be weaponry aside from skill.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She nodded then, the physical movement of her head shifting up and down in affirmation of her agreement with Catra’s decision. “Alright, so how do I start…?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Take a jab at me,” Catra called out, motioning with her free hand for Adora to strike. She’d stopped momentarily from her ominous circling with the thought that it’d be easier for Adora to practice on a target that wasn’t perpetually trying to evade her. “See if you can land a hit.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora didn’t need to be told twice, and with a determined pout that overcast her blue eyes with deep sincerity, she heaved her sword inward to charge at Catra, hoping to fling the blade forward when she was close enough. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She was entirely positive she didn’t blink--she dared not to, hating to forfeit this chance of showing Catra she wasn’t an absolute clod--but right when she was bringing the sword down, Catra reciprocated with her own movement. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The other girl had sidestepped with the speed equivalent of a wind spirit in the same direction that Adora’s sword was being hurtled down, thus effectively evading the blade. Using the momentum of her downward movement, Catra pushed herself forward using the same foot she’d balanced her weight on, and shot toward Adora with her dagger gripped tightly against her body.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If Adora would have kept falling forward she’d have unfortunately made friends with Catra’s dagger, but she somehow managed to steel herself within the last fraction of a second where she didn’t dare breathe. Her sword was still reaching forward to slash at the place where Catra used to be a fraction of a moment ago. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That was good,” Catra’s voice didn’t waver, and she hovered the blade close to Adora’s throat with enough care to refrain from harming her but also with enough ferocity to show that she was serious about the ensuing training. Her grin had stubbornly refused to disappear while her sharp canines gleamed back at Adora in the sunlight. “But you’re a bit slow. You have to always be on the lookout for what your opponent’s next move is going to be. What you did here was take a lunge at me--which I asked you to do--but you also left yourself wide open.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora dearly wanted to ask what Catra meant, but before she could voice her question her friend had taken a step back to divulge exactly what Adora had been wondering. “If you keep your blade close to your body like </span>
  <em>
    <span>this, </span>
  </em>
  <span>then it makes it more difficult for your opponent to harm you. Yeah, you can still have the blade extended, but keeping the weapon closer to your body also protects you. Got it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The blonde nodded again, mentally filing away every single word that Catra shared for future reference. “Got it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Great. Let’s try that again then.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This time Adora lunged forward just as Catra had asked, but made sure to keep the blade of her sword closer to her body by tucking the hilt near her chest and keeping it more centered. Again, just as she had before, Catra simply pirouetted out of harm’s way and thrust her dagger in the direction of Adora’s left side, desiring to strike at midriff.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Panic flurried inside of Adora, and thanks to keeping her blade closer to her body like Catra instructed, she was able to guide the hilt down to her side just in time to catch the smaller weapon’s blade. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora couldn’t resist the hint of a proud grin from blossoming on her face within that instant, and meeting Catra’s eyes she witnessed a similar emotion of excitement at her successful parry. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Moving one foot backward to help keep balance she felt her reactions quicken in time with the rushing of adrenaline through her veins, and she allowed Catra to take more swings at her, somehow managing to block each and every one of them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra was lightning-fast, and it showed with how rapidly she could strike at Adora each second that flashed by. Adora figured that Catra wasn't being too gracious with allowing her time to lunge back at her and take another swing with her sword, but then again this was the whole reason they were practicing, right? Adora needed to learn how to protect herself, and if Catra wasn’t going easy on her for the sake of making the whole situation as real as it could possibly be then Adora completely understood.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora could have sworn that Catra could hear her thoughts, because at the exact moment when she’d finished admitting to herself the nature of Catra’s intense, expeditious dagger slashes, the other girl invited her with another taunt and toothy grin. “Adora, try coming at me again! Don’t be shy, I don’t bite!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Such playfulness in Catra’s tone made it difficult for Adora to decide if she was being serious or if this was another display of her curious means of portraying affection. And truth be told, Adora wasn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>trying </span>
  </em>
  <span>to be shy, she was merely running out of juice. That, and she was still trying to ward off Catra’s incredibly nimble attacks with a sword that she was starting to feel was getting heavier. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But the fighting spirit within her wasn’t yet quenched, and as sweat trickled down the back of her shoulder muscles and her biceps began to ache, she clenched her jaw resolutely. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Come on Adora, let’s show her what you’re made of, whatever that is.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Utilizing what power was left in her calves Adora spring forward, right after Catra sliced away another clean cut of air mere inches away from Adora’s chest, and with the sword held tightly and near to her body she brought the blade down over Catra’s head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The sudden surge in power caught the other girl off guard just enough that she released a squeamish yelp, but again seamlessly brandished the dagger with both hands perpendicular to Adora’s sword to explosively meet it. </span>
  <em>
    
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Clattering metal rang out through the clearing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora’s strength persevered, and although her shoulders and back were burning from the countless times she’d parried and swung at Catra, she forced all of her drive and willpower into pressing down on the simple dagger that separated her and the other girl. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra seemed to be shriveling under the pressure, her spine bending backward ever so slightly, enough so that when Adora glimpsed her opponent out of the corner of her vision struggling to push upward she felt an upswing in her ability to win.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her moment of premature glory was cut short when Catra let her dagger run up the length of Adora’s sword blade, and then the mage sunk to the forest floor right before Adora’s eyes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra was under her now, and Adora didn’t have enough time to react as she felt something wickedly strong punch her in the stomach. The slug to her gut sent Adora flying backward a mere second before she thought she was about to face plant into the grass.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora felt the back of her head connect with the ground beneath, the sword once within her grasp flinging out of her sweaty palms to lie discarded somewhere she couldn’t see. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Everything hurt, and she was sore in nearly all the same places she’d been the day before when she fell out of the tree, only this time she was also covered in a thin layer of perspiration that felt refreshing when  compared to her burning muscles. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The autumn sun above, giving off generous beams of warm sunlight that complimented the cool air, was blotted out of her sight when Catra stepped forward. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She had on the same expression she’d owned pre-spar, when she’d managed to sneak up on a clueless Adora in the midst of deep thought. “Nice job, Adora.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The way she said it wasn’t sarcastic this time, Adora realized. It was genuine, and so was the smile plastered to her face when she knelt down slightly to hold out a hand to the motionless, heavily-panting girl attempting to regain her breath.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora’s hand shakily reached upward, and her fingertips brushed over Catra’s palm before she finally was able to correctly use her fine motor skills and latch onto the other girl’s hand, feeling Catra’s own fingers wrap around them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The back of Adora’s skull hurt, no doubt thanks to the godforsaken slam into the ground she’d taken when Catra hurtled an elbow straight to the stomach. And she knew she probably looked disgusting and unkempt and her hair was undoubtedly a mess...yet she couldn’t stop a smile from spreading across her cheeks. Catra really did intend to help her defend herself, and although Adora hadn't been able to land as many blows on the other girl as she’d like and she’d practically been knocked out with one hit, she’d made progress. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re not so bad yourself.” It wasn’t what she’d originally been planning on saying, but it managed to slip out nonetheless, and apparently the semi-flirtatious tone caught Catra off guard too. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra’s cheeks, already slightly flushed with the effort of exerting herself in physical labor, grew a bit darker as her ears flattened against the back of her mane. She seemed stunned, just for a few seconds, but it was long enough for Adora to notice (for the first time, unbelievably) that she’d succeeded in making Catra blush. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>That was really cute, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Adora found her brain immediately admitting while Catra turned away to scoff, always aiming to play things off as cool as she could. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora wasn’t ready to let Catra go though, not after she’d glimpsed something--for once actually </span>
  <em>
    <span>recognizing </span>
  </em>
  <span>that something</span>
  <em>
    <span>--</span>
  </em>
  <span>and being fully aware that Catra was delightfully flustered by a comment Adora initially thought trivial. “Can we do this again?” Her voice was hopeful, carried over into Catra’s ears by the afternoon breeze. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The birds continued their lyrical songs, the chirps and warbles filling the atmosphere of the grassy clearing with a peaceful ambience that Catra didn’t wish to tear into with her usually impertinent attitude. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cocking her head to the side ever so slightly, she made no intention of putting her still warm, rose-colored face on display to her fighting partner, and answered Adora’s question to the best of her ability. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...Yeah. We can do this again.” The mage silently gathered up her discarded cloak, dagger, and dagger sheath, her back to Adora the entire time while absolutely confident that the other girl was still focused on her as Catra collected her things. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When Catra garnered enough faith that her body wouldn’t betray her again to reveal such weakness to Adora’s obliviously charming comments, she winked at her friend. “Next time I won’t go so easy on you though.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>That was her going </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>easy?! </em>
  </b>
  <span>Adora balked, and Catra spluttered out a bout of laughter that literally burst out of nowhere. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hahaha, you should have seen your face! Oh my god, that was </span>
  <em>
    <span>priceless! </span>
  </em>
  <span>Honestly Adora, I’m just joking with you.” Catra wasn’t the one who was blushing anymore, and the trade between the two of them suited her much better. “If I’d gone harder on you I would have used magic too, but we’re not going to try that yet. Anywho, I’m gonna go start gathering up the rest of our stuff. I’ll come back and get you when it’s time to leave, okay?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> Adora simply nodded in response. The sweat trickling down the nape of her neck reminding her that she pushed herself more than she thought she’d needed to in her sparring with Catra, but it wasn’t enough to block out the strained beating of her heart and scorching face that were derived from the other girl.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was strange. She’d been brave with her few, admirable, attempts to land a strike on Catra during their practice, but standing there alone in the forest clearing with her clammy palms and shirt slick against her skin due to the moisture soaking through, she was very curious as to why her heart seemed to have kickstarted only when she’d seen a side of Catra she’d barely learned to identify.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra’s mismatched eyes, right before the other girl had torn them away in awkwardness, wavered for the shortest of moments, bright sunshine and clear blue sky orbs shifting nervously as she digested Adora’s unintended compliment. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It wasn’t a lie that Adora had been fascinated by Catra in a myriad of ways ever since meeting her a few days ago, but now something felt different. Adora realized, born sometime between their first meeting and their recent duel, there was now an itching desire to witness the unseen sides of Catra. They were something she was interested in striving to accomplish.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>It’d be fun. And maybe it won’t be as hard as it seems...Double Trouble </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>did </em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>say that Catra likes me. Maybe during this whole journey to Brightmoon and the Highlands we can become better friends. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Reality settled in, severing Adora from her wishful thinking as she registered the aches crawling over her body. </span>
  <em>
    <span>My head, arms, and stomach are killing me…</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora plopped herself back down into the grass, her sword falling into the green sprawl of vegetation below, and immediately she felt the hundreds of cold blades deliver a soothing balm to the sore, heated thrum of her muscles and skin. Still in a seated position, she stripped herself of the belts around her waist and her signature crimson jacket, tossing the attire near her sword. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Best to let that stuff air out a bit. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She already felt significantly cooler, and closing her eyes Adora allowed herself to fall back down completely into the grass with a worn out yet happy sigh. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra’s wink, the one she’d nonchalantly sent Adora’s way before retreating to gather the rest of their supplies, floated into the blonde’s mind once again, and unconsciously Adora’s exhausted smile stretched a bit wider. </span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>The sensation of agitated nerves prickling her skin disappeared hours ago, their once-pesky sting fading with every step she’d taken while trekking up the infinite tunnels with Emily’s guidance. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If she thought that the corridors of Hordak’s castle were utterly confusing, she’d been none the wiser in making that assumption. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Apparently there were </span>
  <em>
    <span>hundreds</span>
  </em>
  <span> of tunnels that snaked away from his subterranean kingdom, all of which she’d never, ever, </span>
  <em>
    <span>ever </span>
  </em>
  <span>explored on her own and had no idea existed. The thought of ‘How does one get to the surface?’ never struck Scorpia before at any point in her life. She’d always had everything she needed there in the Horde. It was her home. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But with this new mission, her and Emily’s task to retrieve some all-powerful, all-knowing sword that Hordak wanted to get his claws on so eagerly, Scorpia finally figured out that it meant voyaging to the surface.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When fresh air untainted by the stench of moist rock and sulfur filled her nose and ruffled her cropped hair, she’d never felt more relieved, strangely enough. The surface was quite literally another world, but one that she was honestly very eager to explore.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was sunset when Emily and Scorpia emerged from the cavernous tunnel, but the little rays of diminishing sunlight were enough for Scorpia to piece together that the tunnel entrance was laced with countless years worth of dirt, vines, and weeds running amok over the exit.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Emily, being the little rascal Scorpia had come to realize she indeed was, merely receded into a shadow from, inky and vaporous, and slid through the twisted roots and stems that mangled their escape route mercilessly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Scorpia pulled at the vines and weeds with the burly strength she retained in her upper arms, snipping away at what wouldn’t be demolished so easily. “Emily, you better wait for me out there, you hear? I don’t want you getting lost!” the woman grunted, and with one final pull of a particularly thick clump of vines she fell face-forward into a mound of sod and decomposing leaves. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It took Scorpia a few moments to push herself upward, and after spitting out a few of the detritus fragments that had somehow found their way into her mouth she looked around, sincerely concerned about Emily’s whereabouts. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Emily? Where are you, girl?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The darkness cast by the setting sun wasn’t helping, and as her eyes adjusted to the major contrast of light she was receiving right now compared to what she was accustomed to underground, a familiar, cheerful yip called her attention to the left. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Scorpia grinned as she pulled herself up onto her feet, finding the bulbous shadow demon floating beside the base of a towering evergreen tree. “Ah, there you are!” She stooped down to pat the demon on the top of her head (she wasn’t quite sure this was how it worked, considering the creature was mostly a combination of dark, swirling gases and shadow that reminded Scorpia of those floaty things called ‘wisps’ she’d heard about), but Emily seemed to respond to the gesture and leaned into the touch while Scorpia cooed words of praise. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We made it! I can’t believe we’re actually out here--actually out </span>
  <em>
    <span>here, </span>
  </em>
  <span>as in being on the surface?! I’ve never done this before, Emily. And honestly I’m a bit scared about this whole thing. But I’m also excited. Scared-excited. It’s weird.” Scorpia straightened up, pulling the straps of her pack tighter until they were digging into her skin. “But if you’re with me I think we can do this. We’re the A-Team, and Hordak believes in us.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Emily yipped again in agreement, feeding from the confidence that was beginning to build up inside of Scorpia and pouring out of her companion’s mouth in the form of valorous words. The demon’s excitement ran deeper than Scorpia’s encouraging pep talk; there was a force pulling her. She could sense it; it mingled with the trees and the millions of smells and forces and sounds that filled the forest cacophonously, but something so distinct about the power pulled her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She began, slowly at first, bounding through the trees, looking back briefly to make sure that Scorpia was following. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You sense something, girl?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Emily barked out a response, and Scorpia put on the most determined face she could muster. “Follow you? Okay. I know you probably know where we’re going--’cause honestly I have no idea where we are--so I’ll stick close.” </span>
  <em>
    <span>Don’t worry, Lord Hordak! We’re going to get you that sword no matter what it takes. Leave it to Emily and me. </span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before long the world had succumbed to complete darkness, and Scorpia almost felt at home. The only factors that differentiated the surface between her home underground was that there were trees every square foot she turned, and there were...strange noises that didn’t sound friendly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe that’s one of those </span>
  <em>
    <span>unicorns</span>
  </em>
  <span> I heard so much about in the Horde,” Scorpia side-stepped around a patch of luminescent mushrooms the size of her claws, and when one of them began dripping golden dust-like spores she marveled for a moment before scampering to keep up with Emily. “Did you know they have at least 200 teeth? I know, haha--hard to believe, right? They’ve got such cute faces, but that really big, pointy fang on their head is what they use to catch most of their prey. It just spears right through your body like you’re a slab of meat on a skewer.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Emily just snorted and sniffed around the forest floor a bit more, her movements never ceasing. Scorpia felt like her words had been falling on deaf ears for the most part, and although she wanted to help her demon in some sort of way all she was capable of doing at the moment was following. Talking aloud and making conversation, even if she was the only one who could vocalize her curious trains of thought, seemed appropriate enough to keep her busy. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Emily was hovering closely against the ground still, her single red eye roving the pitch-darkened landscape ahead of them brightened only by the fading moonlight of what had once been a hearty full moon. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And then, just as Scorpia considered suggesting they take a snack break (because now her legs were really killing her), Emily lunged forward, absorbed somewhere in the thicket ahead, no longer visible to a now very concerned Scorpia. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Emily!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Scorpia wasn’t excited about running through the thicket and disappearing too, but after wasting a few seconds dreading what was possibly on the other side she also threw herself into the mesh of bushes, waving her claws frantically to try and clear a path through the brush.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After a few minutes of battling plants and ending up victorious, Scorpia emerged into a clearing. It was, to be more exact, the largest clearing she’d ever seen.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And there, squinting her eyes as her vision was attacked by a hundred paint strokes of light that swam in the distance like dancing fireflies, she realized that the reason for such a vast, open space was because they weren’t in the forest anymore. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...It’s a village,” she muttered, breathless at the sight of such a marvelous surprise. “I’ve never seen one before.” </span>
  <em>
    <span>It’s so….different. There’s less flames and lava lakes than I would imagine. Actually there’s no lava lakes at all. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Something scurried ahead of her, as weightless and ominous as a stormcloud on a mission to deliver much-needed rain, and Scorpia immediately recognized that it was Emily, roving farther ahead over the grass and toward the village in the distance. There was no reason to ask the shadow demon to slow down now; she was gliding over the ground faster than she’d been weaving through the forest trees, her owner guessing correctly that the frenzied pace was triggered by pure fever.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Arms pumping wildly through the chilled night air in a manner she’d only experienced in training (particularly the time when she’d brazenly infiltrated a hive of wyverns with a squadron of her troops, thinking they’d get in some valuable hours of cardio with the episode), Scorpia did well in keeping up with Emily, and her guide didn’t stop until the two of them were well into the village.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Scorpia couldn’t remember the last time she’d taken a breather ever since leaving Hordak’s kingdom, but right now she felt it was necessary to double over, claws resting against her numb legs in a position that held her up enough so she wouldn’t collapse. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hooo--</span>
  <em>
    <span>oh boy</span>
  </em>
  <span>--” a deep, long inhale of air, labored and exhausted to the point where her throat was burning, “I don’t remember the last time I’ve ran--ran that much? Oh! Flipping fire salamanders…” Her eyes quickly darted from side to side, suddenly astutely aware of the way the village was mostly dead aside from the torches licking at the humble moonbeams.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Where are we exactly, Emily..?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Something akin to a low grumble emanating from her spherical companion brought Scorpia’s attention to an object Emily was poised next to, and the demon nudged her herself against a wooden sign. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Scorpia found herself squinting again, but this time not as much as she had been before when first emerging from the underground tunnel that brought them to the surface. “You want me to read this? It says ‘</span>
  <em>
    <span>Answers to (almost) all of your questions! Professional scientist-alchemist-researcher’--</span>
  </em>
  <span>ah, hold up, haha!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Emily bolted into Scorpia’s back like a launched cannonball, and with a few more criminally powerful shoves Scorpia’s face was married to the closed shop door. It was undoubtedly more painful than she’d expected, but she got the idea. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeowtch! Alright Emily, I know what you want me to do--we can’t make such a ruckus though, alright? Who knows what’s going to happen if we wake up too many people…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The legionnaire took to gently rapping her claw on the outside of the door at first as Emily waited patiently on stand-by, but when no one seemed to be answering--Scorpia’s legs were absolutely </span>
  <em>
    <span>killing </span>
  </em>
  <span>her at this point (really, her whole body was running on fumes)--she knocked harder, hoping that this time she’d be heard. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Excuse me, is anyone home? I’m so sorry to bother at a time like this but I really need to sp-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A collection of various locks sounded as the last word died off in Scorpia’s parched throat, and some more metallic clicking ensued before the door opened just a peep, just long enough for Scorpia to find a pair of wide, crimson eyes staring back at her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And then a very unexpected stream of consciousness emptied themselves into the air between her and the shop’s supposed owner. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Incredible...I don’t think I’m dreaming, this is far too vivid to be a narcoleptic hallucination--not that I’ve ever had one before. But really? A shadow demon </span>
  <em>
    <span>and </span>
  </em>
  <span>a tall, notably muscular, female scorpion spawn individual? Simply </span>
  <em>
    <span>fascinating</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The “tall, notably muscular, female scorpion spawn individual” (what a mouthful) chuckled nervously, not quite sure how to answer. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So she decided to ask a question instead. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m really sorry to interrupt your sleep like this--but have you, by any chance, seen a sword?”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>heya! i'm back--hopefully you all are ready for some more catradora. the next few chapters are going to be revolving around these two...speaking of catradora, anyone ready for season 5? cause i'm not ready ;-; (yeah, i saw the trailer today and to say i'm simultaneously hyped and depressed is an understatement, haha)</p>
<p>anywho, i hope you're all having a wonderful week so far. ^^ i might be a little slower with updates, most likely once a week now, just because i need a bit of extra time to work on homework assignments this coming month. it'll be my last month and then i graduate uni tho, so hopefully after the month of may you'll see more frequent updates again! </p>
<p>thank you to all of those of you who have read up to this point, and i hope you continue to stay tuned! please leave a comment if you enjoyed, i'd really appreciate it :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Eleven</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>**please take note that there is gore and details of blood/violence in this chapter. i would like to mention this to precaution those of you who prefer to skip over those bits. these particular scenes are located towards the end of this installment.**</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Over the next few days Catra found herself, oddly enough, watching Adora. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It started off as something simple, aroused by pure curiosity of </span>
  <em>
    <span>who </span>
  </em>
  <span>exactly this girl was. And Catra couldn’t help but think that Adora somehow </span>
  <em>
    <span>knew</span>
  </em>
  <span> this, and with each passing day a new aspect of her personality revealed itself. Every little thing felt important--whether it be the fact that Adora pleaded more often her desire to help Catra catch and cook breakfast, or if they happened to stop by a stream where Adora would shamelessly proceed to strip herself down to the bare minimum and splash in the water, Catra crossing her arms over her chest and waiting until the blonde had had her fill of fun so they could move on. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was at these times that Catra understood (though she wasn’t entirely embracing such budding emotion) the look she’d been giving Adora had been--dare she say it aloud--</span>
  <em>
    <span>tender</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was just something heartwarming about Adora doing her best to help with dinner as they roasted meat over a spit, or how Adora’s face was simply brimming with glee whenever she had the chance to roughhouse for a few minutes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora was so many things that Catra hadn't imagined she’d be. Playful, timid at times, valiant at others, hardworking, there were a hundred more aspects she could name if allowed the chance…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She knew what this feeling was, and to be honest, despite her acknowledging that it’d been so long since she’d laughed so much or even smiled at another soul, it still frightened her. Just enough to keep Catra from admitting it aloud.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She was beginning to care for someone, someone other than her hobgoblin familiar, in a way that she knew she shouldn’t, considering their “mission”. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora was her friend, a mysterious girl whom Catra had found babbling at some annoying, fluttering creatures in the forest a few days before. But she was also someone Catra knew she had to protect; this was, of course, to assist Catra in helping her find the answer to an unsolvable question. Bribing Adora with the possibility that they would be able to discover more about the First Ones seemed wrong to her at first, but then she’d shoved aside the guilt and continued with the plan she and Double Trouble concocted in secret.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And now, it was terrifying to think how in just a few days’ time span Catra was reevaluating her prior choices. Their time spent together was beginning to increase in personal significance; and although she deeply wanted to shrug it off as nothing more than the obsessive interest one cultivated when finally able to make a friend after so many years of spending life alone, she knew this feeling ran deeper. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And so Catra refrained from questioning herself further, hoping that sticking to her plan, whether she was having second thoughts or not, would keep her on the right track. What could go wrong? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The day she’d decided to begin training Adora with the sword and assess what combat skills she retained felt so long ago, but in Catra’s mind she remembered clearly the way Adora smiled her way, her comment on the mage’s fighting definitely coming out more flirtatious than intended. It had caught both of them off guard, and despite her face flushing a serious shade of red that wasn’t from their strenuous physical exercise, she enjoyed the way Adora hadn't refrained from voicing such a daredevil tone. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora was much more than the desperate girl she’d met days before, the one begging to not be left alone. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And this Catra liked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra’s eyes, which typically should have been cast ahead to scan the upcoming bushes, trees, and rocks that probably stretched for miles farther than she could see, were settled on the girl with the sword before her, watching as Adora swatted away loose branches.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The blonde was humming some sort of made-up tune to herself, its uncanny melody inviting a warm smile to settle on Catra’s lips. Catra knew where they were going; the map, which was tucked between the pages of one of her leather-bound notebooks, was wedged underneath her arm. Every now and then she’d take it out, flip to the pages where the map was stuck between, and allow herself a moment to study it to confirm they were traversing in the right direction. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They still had a ways to go through this forest, which wasn’t a surprise. Walking by foot was painfully slow, as compared to traveling by horse or mule or some other kind of creature. In a way Catra didn’t mind this; it gave her more time to be with Adora, although she was sure she’d never confess that truth out loud to anyone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Not yet, at least.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t think I don’t recognize the way you’re looking at her, Kitten~”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Speaking about confessing the truth, she’d rather inhale a fistful of dried nightshade roots before vocally siding with Double Trouble’s heightened senses toward her more intimate feelings. “Shut up. You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Catra’s claws dug into the soft cover of the notebook under her arm, and though her tone was equally as cruel, both she and her familiar knew there was no ill-intent behind her retort. They were empty words. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, Adora! Be careful: there’s a small ravine coming up ahead,” Catra called, her voice carried by the mellow breeze that bolstered the fresh scent of pine and brushed along an army of cracked, oak leaves across the ground.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra’s warning must have been jinxed, because as soon as the last syllable her left her mouth Adora turned around to throw a confident grin her way, and with her eyes no longer facing forward, the tip of her boot snagged on a root and she dropped to the earth with a deafening “</span>
  <em>
    <span>thud”. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>For a split second Catra felt her heart experience panic-incited paralysis, and leaping over a scattered assortment of jagged rocks she bolted to Adora’s side. “Hey! You alright?” She hadn't fallen into the upcoming ravine, but knowing how accident-prone Adora was, tripping over a root could be nearly as treacherous. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It took Adora a few seconds to groan, and after she’d lifted her head, sputtered out a mouthful of dead leaves, she grinned, a glossy layer of blood coating her bottom lip. It appeared that she didn’t register the laceration made to her face, and Catra sighed in relief when Adora laughed. Her hair was a mess and she was bleeding from somewhere Catra couldn’t clearly see (only knowing it must have been caused by a tooth penetrating the soft skin of her lips), but the sound that rang out, joyous and carefree, soothed Catra’s worry far better than what any magic could achieve. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Haha--yeah, I’m good! Kinda didn’t look where I was going there...” Adora was sitting up now, rubbing the back of her hand across her mouth to excavate any remaining leaf fragments. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know,” Catra murmured with ears pinned back against her head out of fright. “You’re so clumsy sometimes, honestly. I don’t know what you’d do if I wasn’t here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Probably get eaten by a manticore,” Adora offered as she stood up, dusting herself off with another one of those exuberant grins that Catra secretly loved. “Or maybe get drilled to death by an angry swarm of sprites and their endless supply of acorns.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sounds about right.” Excitement bubbled within Catra’s chest. It felt good knowing that Adora, even though she was still getting used to the hang of being </span>
  <em>
    <span>here,</span>
  </em>
  <span> in Etheria, the only place Catra had ever known and a place that Adora had no memory of, was learning so much. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It helped that there were things she could learn without having to experience them, like being attacked by a manticore for instance. Then, Catra had been truthful, using such a hideous warning as an honest ruse to get Adora to sleep in the tree. Now it felt different; it had been molded, carefully, with gentle, decisive hands, into something that felt much more like an inside joke two friends would share. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra didn’t realize that she’d been staring at Adora for longer than what was necessary, but Adora, usually unaware of such stares and generous gazes, noticed this time, and her cheeks brightened for a moment, the startling blue eyes shying away from Catra’s own mismatched pair of deep aqua and radiant yellow.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was an irritated sigh from Double Trouble, and immediately both girls were slapped back into the actuality of their current situation. “We’d best keep walking, Loves. It’s going to get dark soon,” the hobgoblin crooned while studying their sharp, black nails, and Catra felt her skin sear again with an unprecedented heat that stirred her to take the lead. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mostly because she didn’t want Adora to know that she’d been watching her intently...Her friend without a doubt had noticed her staring </span>
  <em>
    <span>now</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and now her hunch that Adora was catching on more quickly than she’d done so in the pasthad corroborated with the nervous smile Adora was giving her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Did Adora have the same thoughts and feelings Catra did?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra tried to disregard that thought, but it was nearly impossible to do so, especially when Adora was right behind her (she’d been able to keep up much more easily, as compared to her trekking progress the first few days. Catra assumed this was because her endurance was building.), humming something so light-hearted and infectious that it nearly made Catra want to chime in. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And so preoccupied with her thoughts was the young mage that when the two of them found themselves in a sizable clearing, one that Catra thought might have only reached maybe a mere twenty feet of mostly obsolete expanse, she didn’t register that this particular clearing was actually much larger than originally assumed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yes, there were trees and the typical forest flora dotting the landscape here and there, and yes, they were still within the confines of the thick, spacious wood they’d been walking through. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>...But something about this clearing was different. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora’s humming ceased, and the air around them grew tense, as if all traces of wildlife had resorted to remaining within the forest that the girls and the goblin had left behind. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...What is this place?” Adora breathed out. She’d froze behind Catra, bewitched by the noticeable change in atmosphere. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra scanned their surroundings, noticing how even though trees sparsely dotted the landscape and the clearing, what seemed to be mounds of earth carpeted by a mixture of grass and weeds rose up from the ground like giant ant hills. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra seen many questionable things in her life, but never before had there been something as baffling as this, and although she wanted to assume that it was perhaps some sort of creatures’ dens (of which beast, even taking into account her vast knowledge of nearly every magical being that existed in Etheria, she unfortunately did not know), there didn’t seem to be any signs of life her heightened senses were picking up. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Despite the lack of life, there remained </span>
  <em>
    <span>magic. </span>
  </em>
  <span>This she could feel. Faint as it may be, it was still here. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wherever this was.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Looking over her shoulder Catra expected Adora to be still standing behind her, feet fastened to the ground by the sheer mystery of the place they’d somehow stumbled into. There was no mention of these strange mounds on the map, and when Catra thought she’d offer Adora the option of re-entering the forest and to go around, there was no one for her to talk to. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Instead, Adora, almost as if she were in a daze, treaded the broken twigs and patches of grass with the utmost care, making her way toward one of the closest, peculiar lumps of earth, and Catra reflexively tagged after her friend. </span>
</p>
<p><span>“Adora, what are you doing?”</span><span><br/></span> <span>The other girl simply stared at the mound of dirt that’d captured a vital amount of her interest, and now with the distance shrinking between Adora and the strange formation, the fur on Catra’s arms began to prickle.</span></p>
<p>
  <span>Adora’s attention was solely fixed on the lump of earth in front of them, and so transfixed were her beautiful blue eyes that Catra wanted to forcefully tear her away--just to be able to hear one of the silly comments or coy remarks that Adora sometimes surprised her with on occasion. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At this point, she yearned for something normal from Adora--the way she was staring at the dirt mound was freaking Catra out, like the strange formation had cast its own kind of nefarious enchantment on her friend. </span>
</p>
<p><span>“I...I think I know this place,” Adora stepped forward before Catra could stop her, one foot after the other placed on the unnatural formation so that she could clamber to the top of the overgrown anthill. “It feels familiar to me in a way I can’t explain.”</span><span><br/></span> <span>Catra stalled for a moment at the bottom of the hill, serving Adora what was one of the most skeptical stares she was sure she’d ever given anyone. Despite her effort, it wasn’t enough to lure her friend back down to her level, and worried that she wasn’t quite understanding what Adora was getting at she prodded for more information. “What do you mean? You’re not making any sense.”</span></p>
<p>
  <span>The dazed look on Adora’s face cleared up as she seriously mulled over the subject, and with an effortless swing of her arm she lugged the hilt of her sword into the air to rest it on her shoulder. “Well, it’s like I’ve been here before, I think. And I can see a lot from up here! There’s so many more of these weird earth-bumps...Like there was a group of </span>
  <em>
    <span>something </span>
  </em>
  <span>here, long ago.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The whiff of magic in the air was beginning to stifle Catra’s attention, and she wondered if maybe what Adora was feeling was something more pragmatic, rather than the mystical pull Catra was sensing. Rubbing her arm nervously, she made her way up to her friend’s side, unsure of what it was Adora was trying to get at. “So you’re saying something or someone used to live here?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I think so.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And you’re saying that even though you can’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>feel </span>
  </em>
  <span>the magic, right? Because I can definitely feel it...I’m assuming you’re just evaluating the landscape and making educated guesses based on the geography of the area.” </span>
  <em>
    <span>Smart, Adora. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was cute how Adora’s head bobbed from side-to-side briefly as she yet again pondered Catra’s question, and the sight successfully nullified a portion of doubt and insecurity her friend was feeling. “Yep, pretty much.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I, for one, agree with Adora,” Double Trouble piped up. Their verbalized vote of confidence prompted another self-assured grin on the blonde’s face, one that would lead her to make the next decision. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And a rather impromptu one at that, if anything. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Without further ado (and without any sort of warning) Adora’s sword careened toward the mound of earth below their feet, dirt, stone and clumps of grass flying everywhere as she repeatedly hacked at the ground. It finally gave in, and then there wasn’t any more ground to hack into.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In the soil’s original place was a hole, small at first, but bigger once Adora tossed a few more swings its way, and within just a few seconds the hole blossomed in front of them. It was abysmal, with nothing but darkness emanating from the other side until a ray of evening sunlight bore through, igniting a path of vague shapes within the mound depths. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before Catra could say anything about Adora’s reckless behavior the blonde’s whole upper body was already submerged beneath the hole she’d created in the ground, and the rest of Catra’s fur was standing on end as she registered Adora </span>
  <em>
    <span>quite literally</span>
  </em>
  <span> diving into the pit. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Whoahhhh, Catra! You gotta look down here!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The pads of the mage’s fingers skidded over the length of Adora’s boots for a second, for she dared not grab onto her middle or thighs--plus, Adora’s legs had mostly disappeared into the hole anyways--but apparently she had not been quick enough with her movements, because Adora wriggled out of her grasp and was sucked into the hole beneath. </span>
</p>
<p><span>“Adora!!” Catra leaned over the edge of the hole with Double Trouble hyperventilating at her shoulder, equally if not more so perturbed by Adora’s disappearance than she, and squinting into the darkness her eyes dilated to adjust to the lack of light. “Adora, are you alright?!”</span><span><br/></span> <span>There was a grunt, and then Adora’s cheerful voice. “Yeah, I’m totally fine! Catra, you gotta come down here though--I think this place--all of these mounds used to be </span><em><span>houses. </span></em><span>I think I broke some kind of ancient rocking chair or something when I fell in.”</span></p>
<p>
  <span>The usual hint of buoyant attitude made Catra realize she was holding her breath for no reason, and the synchronized sound of her and Double Trouble exhaling deeply stirred a chuckle within Adora’s throat. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You were worried about me, weren’t you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If Catra wanted to plunge into the hole before to rescue Adora from whatever flesh-devouring creature lived within the mound that her mind had generated, she was definitely having second thoughts about descending into the depths now. Mostly just because she still wasn’t entirely used to the ludic behavior Adora was known to express these past few days. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“N-No!” Catra’s face was burning yet again, and even though she knew it had nothing to do with her body functioning abnormally but rather the reticent, mixed feelings concerning Adora, she blamed it on the blood rushing to her head as she leaned further into the hole. Still, she couldn’t help but tell the truth this time, sensing twin face-splitting grins aimed her way from both Adora and Double Trouble. “Okay...Maybe a little. I wasn’t sure how deep this thing would be and if you’d get hurt.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Silence, thick with unspoken glee and pride, forced Catra’s tail to twitch agitatedly behind her, and her ears similarly pressed down against her head for the second time that day as she felt the pressure of things unsaid crushing her cool. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s alright,” Adora called back up again, right as Catra was getting ready to dig through their supply sack to ingest some of that nightshade she was thinking about earlier. “Say Catra, could you come down? Maybe you can do that thing where you light a flame on your finger, and then we’d be able to see what’s down here. It’s safe; promise!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The mage rolled her eyes but obliged, her feet landing deftly on the ground beneath after leaping through the hole. Standing up slowly, she willed magic to seep into the fingertip of her right index, and a flame sprouted, timid at first, but when Catra summoned more power to her palm and directed it into the finger of her choice, the flame sputtered and grew larger.   </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora had been right; whatever they thought this mound had been at first was really nothing more than a home. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Or really, to be more specific, the </span>
  <em>
    <span>remains </span>
  </em>
  <span>of a home. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A wooden table, rotted away by the effect of time, moisture, and termites, lay haphazardly off to the side, split into two uneven halves. Moving her hand to the side to see the table more easily in the lighting, Catra noticed angry slashes engraved into the wood, leaving frightening scars that even the mold growing over the furniture’s surface wasn’t able to completely hide. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra followed Adora as she made her way around the circular hut, her hand hovering between them to bring to life more of the mystery that lay shrouded by darkness. Off to the side there was a series of broken shelves, also carved from wood, having been implanted into the thick mud and brick walls at some point. They too had been dashed to pieces, and nearly everywhere she looked (and stepped), Catra shivered as the remains of someone’s way of life rested broken underneath her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The only thing that remained intact to some extent was a stone oven hunkered down at the far end of the modest home, and Adora nudged aside a collection of worn pottery shards with her boot before making her way over. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Someone really did use to live here…” Her words were sullen, weighed down by the sorrow of an unspoken past that neither girl nor goblin seemed to have recollection of. “I wonder what happened to them.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra’s lips pulled back into an aggressive snarl as she glanced back at the table, reconsidering the deep slashes buried within the wood’s broken halves. “My guess? Probably some stupid soldiers or an attack by a warring people. I don’t know where this place is, but whoever used to live here was really unlucky. I’m sure if we’d check all the other homes they’d probably look the same.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This place, unfortunate as it was, didn’t make Catra feel the need to stay longer and pay her respects. Pretending she didn’t notice the sinister chill, cold with ruthless, ragged fingers that tampered with the skin along her spine, Catra seized one half of the broken table and positioned it with a few labored tugs right below the crude entrance Adora had made. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, I’m kind of done looking around so I think I’m going to head out...This place doesn’t exactly feel too welcoming. Come on Adora, let’s get out of here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wait-” Adora remained by the oven, the rocks that made up the body misshapen with cracked, aged mud smothered between the loosening crevices. Timidly she reached out toward the oven’s surface in the dying light, Catra retracting the flame as she heaved herself up back into the fresh air outside. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I know this place.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra was outside now, calling to her. “...Adora, you need to get up here. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Now</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The ancient stone and dried mud felt cool to the touch beneath her fingers, until something flashed through her mind, fuzzy and incongruent and familiar warping the sensation into something completely divergent. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Adora!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>What was once cold stone felt warm, fueled by what could have been the source of a fire blazing deep within the belly of the oven. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>For a brief moment Adora’s memories aligned with the new feeling simmering beneath her chilled fingertips, and she inhaled sharply. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Adora, </span>
  <em>
    <span>please!</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Within her mind she saw an old woman, the same one as within her dream a few nights ago, laundering around the furnace as it spewed forth a combination of flames and wispy smoke, and waving a broom hysterically at the sudden outburst of uncontrollable flame. The old woman screeched until someone--this time a smiling, bronze-skinned young woman with braided chestnut hair--careened through the hut’s door to leap onto the scene and successfully extract the broom from the old woman’s hands. Her chiding laughter was infectious, and although the pie was most likely a pile of ashes at this point, the two women were grinning from ear to ear, as if they hadn't just dared battle the blazing fires of a rogue kitchen appliance.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The younger woman couldn’t have been very old, Adora thought. Perhaps, at the most, six or seven years older than Adora herself. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And the other individual, the older one--she remembered her name. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Razz, wasn’t it?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The flashing images, story-like in their timely appearance and flow, jumped forward to the two women sharing the burnt pie at a table that harkened likeness to the one Adora and Catra discovered, only now it was weathered by both time and natural, more malicious forces. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Here Adora was seeing Razz again--but this other girl: who was she, and why was she important? Why was she only appearing now?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A sort of time-skip ensued again, and instead of sitting in, ghostlike and untethered to the generous meal of a shared (and very charred) dessert between the young woman and Razz, Adora’s psyche was dropped into a considerably more dire situation. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Something more predominant unfolded to tell her more, and provided what Adora could only describe as a delayed augury, more specifically of what had ensued in this village now mantled by forest trees, grass, and sporadic patches of dirt. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There were swords, bright and glinting menacingly, sharp as the razor-like talons protruding from a griffin’s paws. Screams and terrified shouts rang through the air, somehow congesting the atmosphere just as much as the dreary clouds of smoke that blotted out the sky. Fires raged uncontrollably and walls were being broken down, and everywhere Adora’s mind’s eye was drawn, nothing but chaos reigned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Razz was gone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>All that was left was…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Was the girl with brown hair. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Adora, I need your help! What are you</span>
  <em>
    <span> doing</span>
  </em>
  <span> down there?!” Catra’s shrieks pierced through the startling vision as she finally managed to suction Adora back to the pinnacle of the present. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Judging by the urgency in Catra’s voice, Adora knew she absolutely couldn’t dilly-daddle any longer, even if it were due to some crazy, revelational flashback (or whatever it was that had just happened).  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The muscle within her chest hammered away on overdrive--as if during the unprecedented scenes of a time and people long-gone it had stopped entirely, only to be resuscitated again when Catra’s terrorized shouts siphoned her back to the correct plane of existence. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora’s messy, hastened steps were more blundering than she desired at a time like this, and amidst her heavy panting and the sound of the rotten table creaking beneath her weight she could hear growling. Sharp barks tinged by a hunger for warm blood rang through the air as Adora swung her arms over the top of the hole, and she grasped frantically at the ground to haul herself out, dirt burrowing itself under her nails.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Looking up, Adora realized the sky above her was now blanketed by deep ebony, save for the angry ball of flame glowing in one of Catra’s hands, licking bright orange flames from a cerulean core that permeated out of the center of her palm. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Stay </span>
  <em>
    <span>away!</span>
  </em>
  <span>” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A burst of flame hurtled through the air at something near the base of the earthen mound, and Adora’s eyes were immediately drawn to Catra once again, the other girl’s fur on-end and fangs bared with a ferocity Adora had never witnessed before. Poised in a defensive position with one hand sporting a blinding orb of flame and the other brandishing her trademark dagger, Catra had never looked more dangerous. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The ravenous growling grew louder, more intense, and standing on shaky feet Adora noticed only by squinting that she, Catra, and Double Trouble were surrounded by a pack of wolves. </span>
</p>
<p><span>“What were you doing down there?!” Catra’s eyes glowed menacingly as she whipped around for a brief second to face Adora, who was barely grasping her sword between both hands. “I was trying to tell you I needed your help!”</span><span><br/></span> <span>Adora yelped when she almost stepped backward into the hole she’d created yet again. “I’m sorry, okay?! I saw-”</span></p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t tell me what you saw right now.” The growl from Catra, almost as feral as the deep rumbling slipping through the throats of the salivating, ravenous beasts before them, sent a pang of guilt tearing through Adora’s chest. “Right now we just need to figure out how to get </span>
  <em>
    <span>away </span>
  </em>
  <span>from these monsters.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“R-Right.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>One of the wolves barked, and a number of them crept forward, the dips and curvature of their bones and the way their skin clung desperately to skeletons exposed by the fire within Catra’s palm. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t you dare!” Catra hurled another fist of vexed flame at the creatures below, and a hole in their advancing formation erupted for a split second as a few wolves cried out in pain, the fire searing their coats and skin. The smell of burnt fur hung in the air, and Adora realized she didn’t like it one bit. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The gap Catra created resolved itself much quicker than either girl would have imagined, and although Catra would have been much braver and mentally in control within a situation where she was facing off a maximum of three (five was pushing it, and there were definitely more than five here) wolves, she was doing the best she could to grasp onto what mastery of her powers and weapon skills remained amidst her panicked state of being. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Even taking all of this into account, Catra wasn’t so worried about herself; rather, she was fretting more over Adora’s safety. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They had barely started training earlier this week, and although Adora was undeniably making progress, she wasn’t quite ready to face off against a pack of twenty-ish wolves yet. Protecting her friend was an extra task that Catra was forced to undertake, and the possibility of messing up strangled her stomach and tied it up in unbearable knots. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra’s mind was whirring at speeds even she hadn't known were possible, searching for any sort of essence of salvation within a premature plan. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And then something clicked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Adora, I have a idea.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“O-Okay-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But you need to trust me. Completely.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright-?!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The wolves crept closer, and now Catra could smell their overpowering scent of dried blood and heavy musk. With lips pulled back in a gruesome snarl, ears flattened, and fur standing on end all across her body to make her look slightly larger, Catra intended to frighten away the pack with not just her magic but her predatory image. The young mage made eye contact with one of the encroaching beasts, and when the wolf dared to leap at her Catra lashed out with her dagger, slicing into the skin of the animal’s throat as blood sprayed out. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Pulling her hand back when the creature howled in agony, she took this as her chance. “I’m going to cast a spell on you; it’ll boost your strength and speed, and you’ll probably be able to help me take out these guys.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She could hear Adora utter a noise of muffled agreement, and Catra immediately proceeded in summoning what spare magic she could to transfer to Adora beside her; the trick of this spell was sharing one’s energy, and the flow at which it tunneled out of Catra’s own body and into her friend’s was unlike any kind of rush she’d ever experienced. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was the first time she’d casted a boost spell, let alone on another being. Trying it now, she discovered it wasn’t hard, per se, and she’d learned enough about the process from being in Shadow Weaver’s lectures and researching such types of magic usage and their processes on her own. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Actually doing it now felt much more different than she’d initially believed, and allowing herself to dwell on the idea revolving around her spur-of-the-moment plan a bit longer, she thought herself lucky to have such an aptitude for magic utilization. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When another wolf lunged at Catra her concentration broke, and she shielded herself with a burst of flame that impacted her enemy and filled the air with the acrid scent of burnt fur and singed flesh.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before Catra could react, the wolves began launching themselves at the two girls from all sides, seeming as though they collectively received the idea that if they attacked at the same time their efforts wouldn’t be in vain. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra wasn’t sure enough power had gone into her boost spell. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora was right behind her, but Catra couldn’t take her eyes off of the countless maws full of canine fangs and the sharp, dirtied claws that were flying her way. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Adora!” Shouting out the other girl’s name was all she could do to communicate her panicked concern, though her attempt did nothing but barely permeate the roiling growls and brutish snapping that filled the forest clearing. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra was acutely aware of the way that Double Trouble’s claws dug into her skin as she dodged and wound her way around the wolves. They must have been on the edge of starvation, and some tried to sink their jaws in her limbs or hinder her with a swipe of their paws, fueled by an unquenchable appetite-driven violence. She continued to slash away at the ones that dared get close enough, always managing to send them limping away in the night as they whimpered in pain. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The dagger wasn’t long enough to inflict fatal wounds, although a few times when Catra plunged the blade into the neck or side of one of the beasts she’d dragged down the weapon for more intense effect, reveling in the way the wolves’ eyes would roll back in agony before they fell back into the darkness. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her fire was unreliable, and remembering the “accident” she caused within the boundaries of her former academy, she was reluctant to throw more balls of flame than needed, and thus resorted to utilizing her dagger as much as possible. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With sweat running through her shirt and forcing wild bangs of her unkempt mane to stick to her face, Catra noticed the wolves were lessening their attempts of making a meal out of herself and her companions. She grinned, inwardly proud of their cooperative ability to ward off such a sneak attack. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But she had forgotten about Adora. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Unaware of how her plan of magically strengthening the other girl had unraveled, Catra jabbed the hilt of her dagger against the skull of an incoming wolf with a sickening “</span>
  <em>
    <span>crack” </span>
  </em>
  <span>before taking a moment to look around and identify Adora’s whereabouts. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Relief washed over her when she noticed the blonde swinging her sword at a couple of wolves who’d been foolish enough to pick on her and her razor-sharp blade, and taking note of the way that Adora was keeping the weapon pulled close to her body for maximum control, something akin to a proud grin tugged at the corner of Catra’s mouth.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There were a few motionless wolf carcasses, all sprawled in pools of red around Adora, and it was as if she’d sensed Catra’s gaze in her direction because no sooner had she dug her sword into the incoming beasts with swifter and stronger movements than she’d been capable of before, Adora turned around and met Catra’s eyes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The ferocity that blazed within them immediately softened into something Catra couldn’t quite describe, and she was about to call out to her friend with another of her signature, facetious remarks when Adora’s timid smile faltered to shout Catra’s name. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra could hear something else, </span>
  <em>
    <span>someone</span>
  </em>
  <span> else, calling out a warning much closer to her ear and she realized it was Double Trouble, but she wasn’t quick enough to react to her companions’ signals.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A searing torture, warm and wet, tore into her side, and Catra’s heart stopped beating for the briefest of moments as indescribable pain coursed through her entire being. She could feel each and every individual fang that penetrated through her skin with an unrivaled desire for bloodlust, the wolf clamping into her stomach not intending to release her anytime soon. Blood was beginning to saturate her clothing, and attempting to usher away the overwhelming sensation of pain that threatened to pull her down in a useless, vulnerable pile of heavily-breathing resignation, Catra jerked her dagger-wielding arm around to stab the wolf clamping onto her middle. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Happening to land the blade in the wolf’s eye, it released her, but only out of the inability to see coupled with the white-hot torture she was sure was tearing through its scrawny body. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra huffed, sensing her ability to fight was pushing the boundaries of comfort that she still retained, and as the world started fading away, sounds and scents and colors all becoming one gnarled, sluggish mutation of indescribable illustrations, she felt herself connect with the floor. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Something else seized hold of her arm, and although Catra was sure it was another wolf taking revenge on her for the annihilation of their pack members, she could do nothing more than aim an unbridled tongue of fire at the creature tearing into more flesh. Catra wasn’t sure she’d successfully warded it away, but with each passing second everything around her was starting to succumb to a numbness she contained mixed feelings for. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The pain in her side had nearly dissipated (she wondered if that was a good thing), but at the same time so was everything else around her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The inside of Catra’s mind, foggy and unable to function properly due to the amount of blood loss she’d experienced, barely registered someone running toward her, shouting her name over and over in competition with the ringing of her ears.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra saw blue sky. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She wondered how it was possible to feel so at peace, yet within her heart she knew she would miss this sight: the startling blue she’d come to know in such a short amount of time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She also knew she didn’t want it to be the last time they saw each other. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But there was nothing else Catra could do to save herself, or to save Adora.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her eyes slowly, reluctantly shut for what she knew would most likely be the last time, savoring the fragments of summer exposed before her a moment longer--right before completely surrendering to the unknown comforts of nebulous darkness.   </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>if you want to know, ariana grande's version of 'won't say i'm in love' and a dramatic kamikaze kitty album are what i listened to while writing this chapter...weird, huh? :) </p>
<p>lemme know what you think if you have the time--take care y'alls, and see you soon!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Twelve</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Catra could have sworn her eyelids had been replaced with anvils; she struggled to open them for what felt like a good while, and when they finally did obey her commands the fire in front of her instigated the belief that she had indeed passed into the next life and ended up in a place she wasn’t eager about seeing so soon. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After blinking a few more times the fire in front of her blurred into focus, and instead of finding herself in the realm of the underworld, it occurred to Catra that she was still in the forest. What lay in front of her, spitting blinding orange and yellow flames was nothing more than a typical fire, corralled by a hasty, distorted ring of stones. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah, Kitten! You’re awake!” Double Trouble’s voice called out from somewhere Catra couldn’t see, and as her ears swiveled to catch the familiar sound she tried sitting up to locate the hobgoblin’s whereabouts. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That’s when warm, dripping pain coursed through her side and arm once again, and with a grunt of excruciating discomfort she remembered what had happened. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Darling, please--look.” Double Trouble’s voice again, and at the mention of the affectionate nickname “Darling” Catra immediately connected that her familiar was trying to get Adora’s attention. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra wanted to move. She really did. But even breathing hurt now, she realized. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her hands, either somewhere below her waist limp on the ground or against her bloodied frame, were pulled up in an instant--at least one of them was--more specifically the hand belonging to the arm that she knew wasn’t mangled into...pieces. The severity of the damage was incalculable considering she’d only just found herself still miraculously in the land of the living, but the memories flooding back to her convinced Catra she wasn’t mentally prepared yet to inspect her wounds. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Catra!” Adora’s hands squeezed Catra’s own so harshly, so full of concern that for an instant the mage nearly forgot about her injuries. The startling blue of Adora’s eyes had remained the same, exactly as they were when Catra bid farewell to a world and a face she thought she’d never see again, and her heart did the smallest of somersaults within her slowly-beating chest. “I thought--I thought you were gone...I-I was so worried.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra tried squeezing the hands wrapped around her own with what strength remained in her being, but in reality just a few fingers managed to lightly tighten themselves around the blonde’s own in an nearly unnoticeable manner. “A-Are you kidding? It takes more than a couple of wolves to get rid of me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In the firelight Adora winced, and Catra noticed that Double Trouble was perched on the other girl’s shoulder in a manner similar to the way she’d usually carry the little goblin around. The dramatic look on her friend’s face didn’t communicate good news. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How bad is it..?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Pretty bad…” Adora trailed off as she bit her bottom lip, and when Catra tried with more effort than she probably should have to assess her gouged middle, she realized that her shirt had been untucked from her belt and pants’ waistband to sit right below her chest. Wrapped around her waist were a few loops of crimson-soaked gauze, and despite Catra’s debatable eyesight as it was still growing accustomed to the lighting, she noticed the foreign dips underneath the thin material. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That couldn’t be a good sign. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra nearly choked when Adora leaned in to wrap her arms around the other girl’s neck, and as Catra attempted to stutter out that she preferred a little distance between them in her current state, the broken sound of Adora’s downhearted voice quickly stifled that effort. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“This is all my fault. If I wouldn’t have stayed down there in that home while you were trying to warn me about the wolves I would have been able to help you...Maybe we could have escaped in time and this whole thing wouldn’t have happened. Now you’re--now you’re--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra refused to let Adora continue, and instead, with her one functioning hand she succeeded in creating a little space between herself and Adora. “Adora...What were you doing down there?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She wanted to know. Of course she was glad that they were both alive...That’s what should have mattered the most. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But still...When Adora had finished clambering out of the earth-covered home there’d been something on her tongue she seemed itching to tell Catra, even in the midst of such danger. The latter still wanted to know. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You saw something down there, didn’t you?” Catra’s voice was low, barely a whisper over the crackling of the fire. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Refusing to meet Catra’s scrutinizing eyes, Adora solemnly nodded, and with the way she was fidgeting with fingers, noticeably coated with dried blood and grime, Catra knew whatever it was Adora was about to reveal must have been dubious. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...I think I saw the past.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There it was, out in the open. And to be quite frank, it wasn’t what Catra had been expecting. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dubious, yes--but witnessing glimpses of a time long gone? She wasn’t entirely convinced.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora registered the confused look on Catra’s tired face, and the desire to clear up any misunderstandings she knew were colliding in Catra’s mind like headbutting rams drew her to stuttering out more detail. “Remember that dream I had a few nights ago? I don’t know if my brain is making it all up but I can’t help but get the feeling that </span>
  <em>
    <span>that place--</span>
  </em>
  <span>the village in my dream where I was in and met the old woman and dragon--it has something to do with the First Ones.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And my sword,” at this point Adora gestured to something further away that Catra could only assume was the ancient weapon, “was something that you’ve been telling me this entire time belongs to the First Ones. Back there, at the weird collection of homes where we narrowly escaped from those wolves, I saw the old lady again. I think that place had something to do with the First Ones too. It felt familiar...Something important happened there a long time ago.” Adora’s teeth snagged onto her lip again to keep herself from saying anymore; Catra needed time to process everything, and Adora didn’t want to overwhelm her with questionable information in the current state she was in.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You...Saw the old lady again? How?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora shrugged and it felt like both the simplest and stupidest thing in the world--at this point she couldn’t really explain why certain things were flowing out of her mouth, but the more she talked about it with someone the more she felt like she could piece it together and force it to make sense. “I don’t know--I just touched the old stone oven in there and then “</span>
  <em>
    <span>bam</span>
  </em>
  <span>”! Weird images started blowing up in my mind, and even though you were calling me I couldn’t hear you...It was like I wasn’t even there.” </span>
  <em>
    <span>And that other woman...The one with brown hair? I still don’t know who she is.  </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tendrils of silence wound their way between the two, until Adora found herself saying the words she wanted to utter most. The ones that she knew would make the most sense right now. “I’m so sorry Catra, please forgive me. It’s my fault this happened.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At this statement Catra’s heart nearly broke, and knowing she wouldn’t be able to bear any more blistering pain than what was already thrumming away with desiccating heat across her right arm and her side, she searched for something else she could say that would take both her and Adora’s mind off of the unfortunate circumstances. “It wasn’t your fault. Don’t say that...On another note,” Catra’s grin was back, albeit wavering from its usual roguish flair. “ How did you get us away from there? I wasn’t even sure if you were going to make it out alive yourself.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At this question, Adora’s eyebrows loosened up a bit from their knitted, guilt-ridden state, and just for a moment Catra was blessed by an honest, half-hearted smile. “Your spell. It gave me just enough strength and speed to finish off the rest of the pack, and then I picked you up and hightailed it out of there as fast as my legs would carry me, as silly as that may sound…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra tried not to imagine herself in Adora’s surprisingly toned arms, the mage torn and exhausted to the point of unconsciousness, only to be senselessly swept off her feet in a gallant rescue. Just skimming over such a scene for a split second would cause more blood to rush to her head, and right now she really wanted to keep it flowing in other places that were on short supply.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Deciding to change the subject again for her own good, Catra asked Adora another question. “So where are we now..?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora bit her lip yet again, and Catra wasn’t sure if it was the loss of blood that was making her feel lightheaded or the sight of Adora’s features contorting with worry over her that made everything spin faster. “To be honest, I haven’t the slightest idea.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra nodded and groaned again, this time doing absolutely the best she could to sit up, even if the other two were against the idea of her moving a mere inch. Double Trouble and Adora were about to tackle her back into her sedentary position against the tree she was leaning on, but Catra made an annoyed face and they backed off. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>If I could see the stars I’d probably be able to figure out if we’re still going in the right direction, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Catra thought, scanning the area above her head in hopes of finding a patch of open sky. Unfortunately, wherever they were appeared to still be deep in the heart of the forest; in a way it was good, because Adora had definitely taken them a safe distance from the wolves that’d been after them. On the other hand it was bad because after Catra’s wounds had healed (who knew how long that would take), she’d have to reroute them again to get them back on track to Brightmoon. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Healing--right. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Catra had healing magic. Well, whatever remained of her magic she just</span>
  <em>
    <span> might</span>
  </em>
  <span> be able to convert into something that’d hasten the speed of which she recovered.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What are you thinking about?” Adora asked timidly, and Catra’s thoughts whisked back to the girl in front of her, her friend’s blue eyes searching for any means by which she could be of assistance. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra lifted her hand, spreading her clawed fingers apart to summon what was left of her magic reserve. A flicker of blue light sparked for a second, right before fizzling out of existence. The fragility of her magic was a sign that all of her consciousness and will to live was being poured into keeping her awake and breathing, taking into consideration her currently maimed state. Her connection to magic, the ability to manipulate the energy that was stored within not just herself, but in the natural surroundings, was tainted; thus, it made it much more difficult to produce her own healing magic. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A frustrated sigh escaped from between Catra’s lips. “Just that I’m out of healing magic right now. I won’t be able to heal myself or speed up my recovery rate...Who knows how long it’ll take before I get better.” There was a pause, and then she added something else she didn’t want to say but knew probably should, given her typically cynical outlook. It was possible. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>If </span>
  </em>
  <span>I get better, that is.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was only after she’d uttered it aloud that she realized that even if she hadn't originally intended to, the statement had viciously pricked the tender part of Adora’s soul, causing more guilt to creep inside. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Leaves crackled beneath the two girls as Adora stood up abruptly. Catra tried leaning her head back against the tree’s trunk to meet the other girl’s eyes, but Adora pivoted on her heels to turn around and wander away somewhere outside of Catra’s peripheral. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh great. Nice going, Catra--making your only friend aside from Double Trouble think it’s her fault you’re going to die. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra was about to open up her mouth, perhaps announce a reluctant apology on her behalf, when Adora marched back over with the same straight face she had when she left. The only difference was that this time she was holding her sword, and as she plunged it into the dirt beside Catra, the mage jumped at the sudden lack of distance between herself and the blade glinting in the firelight.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wh-What are you doing?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora didn’t say anything. In her knelt position, Catra could clearly see that Adora’s eyelids were squeezed shut and her knuckles were white, gripping the hilt of the sword as if her life depended on it. The harder Catra stared, the more she noticed how fatigued Adora looked; although there wasn’t the hint of shadows under her eyes, the way sweat beaded at her forehead in the cool evening air, the cute but concerned wrinkle of worry lines creasing the expanse of skin between her eyebrows, and the dried blood that stained her hands were just a few of the telltale signs. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Maybe Adora needed a break too. Maybe she was taking all of this too seriously; it wasn’t her fault that things had ended up this way.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Adora-” Catra tried again, but she was quickly shushed by the other girl, and she quirked her head away in surprise. “Hey-?!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shhh!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Double Trouble only shrugged at her, doing absolutely nothing to soothe Catra’s irritated state. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m trying to heal you. Be quiet, I need to concentrate.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>What? Adora, what on earth are you thinking..? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Catra fought hard to keep the brusque chuckle from escaping her throat. “Adora, listen, I don’t think you understand how magic works-” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The sound of soft humming, a particular trait of magical artifacts that Catra was definitely not aware of, filled the night air as the hilt within Adora’s hands began to glow; it was soft at first, merely a gentle thrum of golden light that Catra would have shrugged off as the reflection of the nagging fire. But the glow began to spread, to trail away from Adora’s hands and down into the blade that the other girl had stuck into the ground in an act of desperation. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The abrupt ridiculousness of the whole situation vanquished the words that Catra would have certainly said had nothing so spectacular began occurring.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>This...This can’t be happening. She can’t--She doesn’t know how!</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The warmth within her gut where she knew her body was struggling to contain what semblance of skin and other organs were typically there flowered into something more magnificent, and Catra’s eyes were drawn to the place among her abdomen where she’d been attacked by one of the wolves. It hurt for a moment, and a grunt from her throat was about to protest her discomfort when the light permeating from between Adora’s hands mysteriously transferred to her middle, enveloping the wound in a sparkling sheen. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With all her attention on the bandages barely concealing such an incredible glow, Catra almost missed a similar sight taking place over her right arm, which was originally limp against her side. Like a snake winding around a branch, the same light traversed her middle with a guiding sentience, willing to patch up any and all gashes too deep and too serious for Catra to attend to with her own magic.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra’s stupefied gaze flew to Adora’s face after witnessing her body patch itself up with the aid of magic summoned by the other girl. Adora’s eyes were still shut tight in utmost concentration, and not wishing to disturb the wondrous spell that had fallen on them Catra blinked a few times, utterly taken aback, at Double Trouble, who was sharing a very similar, dumbfounded look. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was absolutely no way Catra could stop looking at Adora, even if the other girl wasn’t aware of her incredulous staring. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra hadn't thought so before, but now it was all beginning to make so much sense. Why did she ever doubt something so apparent?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Perhaps it was because when she first found Adora she didn’t want to believe it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In the midst of such paramount thoughts, Adora slowly looked up as the sweat, formed by such pure intensity of her magical efforts (which she had not known would actually succeed), trickled down her forehead to join the loose, golden strands that had escaped her ponytail. The way Catra was looking at her told her all she needed to know, as if someone had whispered a secret to her; something so special and heartwarming that the more Adora thought about it the wider her smile grew, and without dwelling a second longer on what just happened her hands released the sword. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Shaking with a mixture of excitement and nervousness Adora reached forward, her calloused fingers mere inches away from Catra’s gauze-wrapped middle. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was an unspoken question floating between them, and Adora, dearly wanting nothing more than to secure the possibility of such a miracle and the physical well-being of her friend, grazed the mottled bandages with a feather-light touch that commanded Catra’s fur to stand on end.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her blue eyes were so incredibly wide, and Catra knew she’d forever continue to compare their openness to the worrisome expanse of sky one might see on a bright, sunny day. With the way Adora was staring at her she was sure she’d get lost in them if she dwelled on the resemblance too long. Frightened by her own indecisiveness and the alluring azure orbs that stared back at her, Catra’s stare finally drifted down to the hand hovering over her side. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can I?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Again, words were completely lost in Catra’s throat--the only difference being this time they were immobilized even before their fruition. As a substitution for her voicelessness, she managed a weak nod, and Adora’s hands began their work, gently winding around Catra’s middle as she unraveled what gauze she’d applied earlier while the other girl remained unconscious. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The exchange was something much more intimate than Catra hoped for, but with quivering hands, shaky breaths, and reasons she continued to refrain from acknowledging, she gathered she was in no place to put up any sort of fight. Adora’s fingers, gingerly brushing against her stomach everytime she undid another loop, felt simultaneously electrifying and pleasant, and when the blonde was done unfastening her previous handiwork a trio of gasps ensued.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra’s middle appeared untouched.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The thin layer of peach-fuzz that lined her body and kept her warm on cold winter nights was astoundingly unmarked by teeth penetrations; as if the merciless jaws of the creature tearing into her earlier was nothing more than a figment of their collective imagination. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And Catra might have believed it was some kind of blood-loss induced stupor, were it not for the deep red still staining her ruffled shirt, the loose bandages, and Adora’s hands. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It worked,” Adora breathed out, disbelief evident. “It actually </span>
  <em>
    <span>worked--</span>
  </em>
  <span>I can’t believe it..! To be honest I wasn’t sure what was going to happen, but I thought that if this is a First Ones’ sword, maybe it had more magical abilities than we thought...</span>
  <em>
    <span>” </span>
  </em>
  <span>There was an airy tune of wonder in her voice as her eyes roamed over Catra’s  unwrapped side, completely mesmerized by the unbelievable feat she’d managed to accomplish. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>You know what this means, right? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Catra wanted to say, biting the question back to seal it on her tongue while she watched Adora’s eyes continue to rove over her. And really, she was barely succeeding in sealing away the copious amounts of astonishment, anxiety, and confusion that she could feel vibrating beneath her skin, coaxing her heart into skipping away at a rate she knew wasn’t safe. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Adora,” Catra was doing an impressive job, by her personal standards, of keeping the tumult of emotions at bay, and although she really didn’t want to voice the thought she’d initially been against, she knew she had to. “I think you’re a First One.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Stunned by Catra’s declaration, Adora leaned back on her knees rather suddenly, now hyper-aware of the way her calves were burning, having been bent in the same position for so long beside the other girl. “Wait, what? I-I don’t think that’s possible...You told me they were all dead.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They </span>
  <em>
    <span>are</span>
  </em>
  <span> supposed to be dead. I didn’t lie to you about that.” Catra sat up a little taller, feeling the rough surface of the tree behind her scrape against her back. “But...I don’t know. I think it makes sense, even if it seems impossible. You shouldn’t be able to use magic so easily; that’s only something First Ones were able to do. Not to mention those weird dreams and flashback things you’ve been telling me about...And your sword too--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Double Trouble took the chance to leap off of Adora’s shoulder, and landing on the dampened ground with the crunch of frail leaves beneath their tiny boots the goblin placed a careful, clawed hand on the blonde’s thigh. “Darling…It’s nothing for certain, but it could be a possibility. Maybe you somehow survived.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>You somehow survived. Even though it was a thousand years ago that all the First Ones disappeared. It’s completely crazy, but what else would explain--well--</span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>this</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Catras fingers floated over the area where the gash had been in her side, such a paramount question robbing both girls of the ability to provide any other explanations for the divine work that’d erased Catra’s life-threatening wounds. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora remained silent for a few seconds, seconds that quickly stretched into what Catra felt was a minuscule eternity within their own private microcosm; the rest of the world suddenly felt very far away, and all Catra wanted was to know what Adora was thinking. How she was feeling. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And then, more abruptly than Catra thought the other girl was capable, Adora stood up, an assortment of forest scrap fluttering away from her haunches as she towered above the still-sitting Catra. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I...I need some time to think about all of this.” She stared at the sword embedded between herself and Catra, as if it were now an obstacle of sorts that’d just thrown itself into her life, separating her from anything else, any other comment or idea that Catra might have wanted to say. And really, even if Catra had decided to say more, the words would have fallen on deaf ears. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra wanted to tell Adora to stay. Watching the crimson of her jacket dissolve into the shadows, the clutch of inky, unknown whereabouts, only loaded more guilt onto her chest even though she understood there wasn’t any way she could have predicted Adora’s reaction to the news. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Based on the many lonesome years Catra spent lurking in the library or studiously hunched over her desk devouring book after book on ancient relics and magic history, Adora being a First One was the only option that made sense--even despite it still seeming so farfetched. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If she was remembering things correctly--and Catra </span>
  <em>
    <span>never </span>
  </em>
  <span>forgot someone or something she’d seen or read about before--First Ones were the only other beings, of non-magical origins or birth, who could control and utilize the natural magical energy around them nearly as easily as faeries and other creatures could. Normally humans weren’t able to do that, as Catra had learned through magic practice at the academy...typically if a human </span>
  <em>
    <span>was </span>
  </em>
  <span>able to wield a semblance of magical talent, it was due to practice with the black arts. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So, as one would imagine, humans were automatically subject to a place of inferiority amongst the rest of many beings here in Etheria. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But First Ones. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They were different.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And Adora was different...Catra knew that now without a doubt, but there was a part of her, a part she’d chosen to shut away ever since first laying eyes on the other girl, that ached for Catra to admit Adora was more than just someone she could use to help her achieve a personal goal. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora wasn’t just a First One. She was Catra’s friend now, and she’d saved Catra’s life by risking her own.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>To make matters worse, all of these realizations, the same ones which Adora herself was obviously grueling over somewhere out in another part of the forest alone, were rivaling the strange sensations Catra felt whirling away in her chest like over-ecstatic butterflies. She’d felt them wildly swirling around like a miniature tornado the entire time Adora had fawned over her, timidly unwrapping the bandages to evaluate Catra’s state.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With so many thoughts swimming around in her brain, Catra continued to absentmindedly run her fingers over the skin along her side, dipping her fingertips ever so lightly beneath fur to seek out any traces of remaining lacerated flesh. Astoundingly there was nothing left aside from crusted blood and matted fur where the wolf had seized her, ripping apart her skin to instead insert the bold, overpowering pain that’d sent her into hypovolemic shock. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra winced, her sight landing on Double Trouble as the little hobgoblin stood off to the side awkwardly. “Hey...Do you think I should have told her that?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry Kitten, but I can’t tell you what to say or what not to say. Not that it isn’t my place, but rather these are </span>
  <em>
    <span>your </span>
  </em>
  <span>choices to make. I’m just here to support you along the way.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A dry laugh echoed through the small clearing as Catra felt a twinge of anger bubble up inside of her chest, and although she hated the feeling she realized</span>
  <em>
    <span> she</span>
  </em>
  <span> was the one who she was angry with, not Double Trouble with their ambiguous response. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thanks. Like that makes realizing what just happened any more clear,” Catra scoffed while trying to regain a more lofty position, and standing up on shaky feet without pain jolting through her abdomen or arm, found that she was indeed completely healed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If she wasn’t so preoccupied by what she’d shared with Adora a minute ago, Catra might have realized she felt better physically than she had before that entire week (after she regained her balance, that is). </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If someone told you that </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> were the last of your kind, I’d imagine you’d be acting exactly the same,” Double Trouble offered nonchalantly as Catra slipped back into her cloak, and this particular statement managed to creep under her skin more so than she expected. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra allowed the anger to simmer just a little longer before belting out in her usual rash manner. All these feelings inside her were starting to make her chest hurt, but she couldn’t figure out how to lock them away. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You know I’ve been told I’m the last of my kind my entire life. The only difference between her and I is that I’ve had more time to deal with everyone’s stupid, heartless remarks. But it still hurts.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know, Kitten. That’s why I said what I did.” Double Trouble’s back was to Catra as they huddled closer to the fire, the night’s shadows in a continual effort of grappling   around the small creature as the flames frolicked in the pit. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Double Trouble’s sentiment gave Catra an idea. She wasn’t sure it would work--most of her harebrained schemes usually sent her tumbling through an obstacle course of trouble (take their most recent encounter with the wolves)--but she desperately wanted to give it a try.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was something about seeing Adora unhappy that affected her in a way she couldn’t quite yet describe, as cretinous as it sounded. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll be back.” Catra pulled her shirt down further over her abdomen, tucking into the waistband of her pants and securing the belt within the loops before she herself disappeared into the foliage. Wandering through the maze of trees and shrubbery, she attempted to pick out Adora’s smell amongst the millions of others.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It only took her a few seconds to seize hold of the scent; fresh pine mixed with the unique odor of Adora’s sweat, a sweet, flowery twist that somehow managed to cinch both distinctions together in a pleasant way. It was familiar to Catra now, just as constant and comforting as the sunrise each morning, and she’d be able to identify it anywhere. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>How far did she go? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Catra thought to herself as she pressed into a series of bushes separating her from a looming rockface. To anyone else, finding themselves face-to-face with a sizable barrier of stone wedged together over the course of many years, might pose a problem. Maybe it would have even signaled the end of their search. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But Catra wasn’t going to give up on finding Adora; if her scent led her this way, then Adora had to be close. Perhaps over this wall, once Catra had scaled it?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And so she did.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Upon reaching the top of the rock wall Catra took a brief moment to balance herself on all fours, ears flattened against her bushy mane as she glanced around cautiously. When she realized that there wasn’t anyone around she lifted her nose into the air once again, allowing the autumn breeze to share a hint of the person she was seeking.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Adora’s close.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Springing up from her crouched position Catra threw herself into the search once again, tree branches whipping against her face and twigs snapping beneath her feet as she decimated another forest thicket. Adora’s scent was stronger up here after scaling the rock wall, and within a few minutes Catra burst through what she discovered was the final obstacle separating her from her friend. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora’s figure, looking uncharacteristically meek with her legs tucked into her chest and her head resting atop her knees, sat humbly in a sea of gently billowing grass, fading moonlight amplifying the sorrowful atmosphere surrounding her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It wasn’t until Catra was a few steps away that Adora finally muttered out a discourteous greeting. “You didn’t have to follow me, you know.” She didn’t seem to be in the mood for socializing as of this moment, but that clarification only made Catra want to repair what damage she’d caused even more. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know.” Catra took a seat beside the other girl, making sure to keep a little distance between them just in case Adora really did want some space. It was why she ran off without the mage or their hobgoblin friend, after all; time alone to think about everything that had happened was without a doubt the only thing she wanted right now, and here Catra was, interloping.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then why are you here?” Adora lifted her head finally, and Catra noticed the rims of Adora’s eyes were lined with moisture, saturating the base of her dark lashes. Her unshed (or drying?) tears glinted at Catra in some sort of mocking fashion, one that successfully managed to rip at both Catra’s heart and conscious just a little bit more.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Deep breaths, Catra. Just go with the flow. Tell her what you were talking about with Double Trouble.</span>
  </em>
  <span> “These past few days I’ve learned a lot about myself,” Catra started, afraid to meet Adora’s wavering, tear-laden eyes again. Instead she focused on the way the stars, tiny pinpricks of dazzling light, flickering proudly against a background of abysmal night sky. It soothed her enough to continue. “I thought--as long as I’ve been alive, really--that I was alone. There were never any others like me, or that I was the last magicat around. It’s what everybody told me: Shadow Weaver, my classmates...You heard Lonnie the first day that we met. I’m a freak and the only one of my kind left, no matter how much I try to deny it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The rustling of Adora’s arms shifting beside her stirred Catra to keep talking, even though she literally swore her heart was beating against her chest at a rate so dangerous that if it pounded any harder it was bound to burst. “And then I met you. You were so weird and strange and...</span>
  <em>
    <span>helpless...</span>
  </em>
  <span>And for once I thought that maybe we were in the same boat. Both trying to figure out where we were from and who we are. I think--aside from you having such a cool, magic-infused sword--that’s really why I decided to help you, as stupid as it sounds. Because even if I didn’t admit it out loud, you reminded me of myself.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was a moment of silence between the two of them as Catra reflected on the words she’d decided to share. It was true. She’d never truly thought about her initial attraction to Adora in such an honest manner, only resolving to utilize the other girl and her weapon for her own benefit. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And it wasn’t like she was about to drop her original plan now; they were still heading to Brightmoon for the optional detour, and then after that they’d return on the path to their first destination, the Highlands. Magicat country. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I...reminded you of</span>
  <em>
    <span> me</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” Adora’s timid whisper caught Catra off guard, and it was only through the brief millisecond of solitude in which her heart had ceased pounding that she’d caught the question. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah. But I feel like...it’s an even stronger connection with you now.” </span>
  <em>
    <span>What are you saying??</span>
  </em>
  <span> Catra played with the grass twining around her ankles, ripping up pieces of the vegetation in an attempt to relieve some of her nervousness. “What I said about you being a First One--listen: I’m not like, an all-knowing deity or anything. I could be wrong. But really, in my opinion, it’s what makes the most sense. So if you are somehow, mystically defying all the laws of space and time and whatever, to be </span>
  <em>
    <span>here, </span>
  </em>
  <span>with </span>
  <em>
    <span>me, </span>
  </em>
  <span>right now...I think it’s gotta mean something.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Spirits, when during all of this did I turn into some dream-talking visionary?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Catra scoffed at her own statement, wishing to take back some of the romanticism she’d so effortlessly installed into her previous confession. It was incredibly unlike her to say anything of the sort. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But there was just something about being with Adora that made Catra do unexpected things.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A light, genial sound escaped from Adora’s lips, and it bounced off into the atmosphere to enter Catra’s ears; such laughter immediately alleviated the combined pressure of worry and self-degradation that’d thrown itself onto Catra during this seemingly one-sided heart-to-heart, and Catra whipped her head around to find Adora grinning as her giggles permeated the once-tense environment. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, but I had no idea you were capable of saying such sweet, thoughtful stuff-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Upon hearing Adora’s words, Catra’s cheeks flushed a deep scarlet, and she prayed to whatever spirits or deities that were listening that she didn’t look like a complete buffoon. “Hey! It’s not like I planned what I was gonna say to you, it just kind of...</span>
  <em>
    <span>happened</span>
  </em>
  <span>...I’m just as surprised.” Due to her nervous fidgeting the grass between her claws was razed all the way down to the soil, and without giving it much thought Catra moved her hands to continue pulling out grass in a new, untouched patch. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>During one of her most recent endeavors to eradicate the grass beneath, something soft separated Catra’s left hand from her restless task, and she felt her temperature skyrocket even further as Adora’s fingers intertwined with her own.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Meeting Adora’s eyes was quite literally impossible, not just because Catra’s simultaneously pounding ears and thumping heart were hindering such a hazardous mission, but because Adora seemed to also be on the same page, apprehensive and shy to an adorable degree. If it weren’t for the advantageous combination of the fading moonlight and Catra’s heightened vision, she wouldn’t have noticed that Adora too was gazing off somewhere in the distance, a light blush dusting her own cheeks. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thanks, Catra,” she mumbled softly in a tone nearly as timid as her previous whispers, for a moment squeezing the other girl’s fingers between her own endearingly. The gesture was enough to make Catra’s stomach do a backflip. “I’m sorry again about everything. For making you come to Brightmoon with me, for causing you to get hurt with all of those wolves, for running off here to sulk by myself…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Adora, I told you already. None of that was your fault.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe it wasn’t, but I still feel like it is.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra’s fingers deftly slipped out from between Adora’s, and without the pressing of Catra’s warm body against her own, Adora somehow felt more vulnerable. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Gripping onto Adora’s shoulders, Catra forced the blonde into a face-to-face position, piercing what guilt wallowed within Adora’s saddened gaze with her own vibrant, mismatched eyes in hopes that she’d be able to knock some sense into the other girl. “Will you </span>
  <em>
    <span>please </span>
  </em>
  <span>stop saying that? It makes me angry whenever you think something that isn’t your fault </span>
  <em>
    <span>is</span>
  </em>
  <span> your fault. Stop blaming yourself for every little thing that happens to me. I wanted to do this with you, Adora, to come on this adventure with you. I’ve spent my entire life cooped up behind some big stone walls, feeling like an outsider even if I had fifty other people around me in the same room. I was done with that, and when you came along you gave me a reason to leave. To put that old life behind and start something new with you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Perhaps it was the startling blue of Adora’s gaze penetrating into her soul that was causing all of these horrible, saccharine thoughts to slip through, no matter how much she might have wanted to keep them buried for another five-hundred years. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m here with you right now because I </span>
  <em>
    <span>want</span>
  </em>
  <span> to be here. I didn’t have to come and find you after you ran off, like you said. But I </span>
  <em>
    <span>did</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” she stopped for a moment, debating whether she should keep going. Believing herself to be unreliable in the sense that she had absolutely </span>
  <em>
    <span>no</span>
  </em>
  <span> idea what would leave her mouth next, Catra decided to tack an ending onto her abnormally honest speech. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Please</span>
  </em>
  <span> just get that through your brain. I don’t want to have to keep repeating myself.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The continued silence from Adora’s end hinted to the young mage that maybe Adora was indeed seriously considering her plea, but as Catra watched Adora’s azure orbs flicker back and forth over her heated features, she discovered she wasn’t entirely confident with her assumption anymore. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Especially not when Adora pressed her lips to Catra’s partially open mouth, catching the other girl completely off guard. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>For a few seconds that Catra easily confused with an eternity, she couldn’t physically process what was happening; the sensation of Adora’s mouth against her own was simultaneously satisfying and intoxicating--just as much as she felt it lethal--and her warm, soft lips were inviting Catra in closer still. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Catra, what are you doing?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Perhaps a little too harshly Catra inserted her arms between Adora and herself once again, unsure of when they’d managed to slip down from their once-forceful grip on Adora’s shoulders mere moments before, and the two of them broke away with a gasp.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wh-What are you doing?!” Catra’s voice was shaking violently, in tune with every other part of her body quaking in aftershock from the surprise that Adora’d bestowed without any warning. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora’s cheeks, once innocently dusted with pink, were now a darker shade of red, and she quickly ran a hand up and over her ear to tuck away a loose strand of hair. “I...I don’t know. I just-I-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Refusing to hear anything else from Adora as her heart threatened to catapult itself through her ribcage, Catra rapidly heaved herself back up onto her feet, now with a height advantage where she’d be able to safely communicate with Adora without focusing too much on her lips and how soft and wonderful they felt when they’d brushed up against her own. If she stared at them again it’d be bad, and Catra’s mind was already a tumult of confused and conflicting feelings, ones that she didn’t want to adhere to but knew she had already begun truckling to their insistent beckoning.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Catra, wait-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her back was already turned, as were her feet already treading across the bare patches of dirt she’d managed to create during their talk.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora must have leapt up from her spot on the ground as soon as Catra decided to scurry off, because there she was again, her calloused yet gentle hands wrapped tightly around Catra’s wrist. “Please don’t go.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There it was again. That same, desperate tone in Adora’s voice. It drew Catra’s memories back to the day, a time earlier in the week--it felt so far away at this point--when, just as she was doing now, Adora had latched onto Catra’s forearm desperately when the other girl had turned away. Back then Catra had almost decided to turn her back on Adora, to leave her and her sword behind, and return to her mundane life within the gloomy academy. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She’d </span>
  <em>
    <span>almost</span>
  </em>
  <span> done that. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But then Adora had quite literally reached out to her, and something warm kindled within Catra, easing her into the idea that maybe she should take a chance and allow the stranger to tag along. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So much had changed since then. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As her jaw tightened in response to the memories afflicting her troubled mind, Catra’s dry throat managed to squeeze out a few words, those of which fell amongst the rest of the atypical responses she’d been showering Adora with tonight. “I don’t want to go, but I think I need to.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why..? Why can’t you stay with me a little longer? You just said that you wanted to be here...”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra nearly growled, hating the way the tone of her voice sank with the added weight of frustration. “I know. And I meant what I said.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then why are you leaving? Did I do something wrong?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This was so infuriating. The simmering anger that’d begun to surface when she’d sent Adora away after voicing her thoughts about her friend being a First One had returned; the righteous herald of her own self-destruction. “I already told you--you never did anything wrong. Please, just </span>
  <em>
    <span>stop</span>
  </em>
  <span>-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora’s grip on her wrist refused to slacken, and somehow the other girl managed to get Catra to face her again, although Adora could clearly tell that Catra was trying to look anywhere but directly at her. “Can’t you see I want to be here with you too?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At this admission Catra couldn’t pull away from Adora or the bulk of emotions hounding her every move any longer, and turned on her heels to shoot Adora a look so chock-full of remorse it made her innards writhe in protest. “Yeah, obviously! After you kissed me like that out of nowhere I can definitely see that.” The corners of Catra’s eyes began to prickle with heat, the hot tears that had innocuously welled up without her consent aching to be released. “It’s just-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Why is this so hard to say?! I know what I want, but I keep denying it. I don’t want to feel like this, but I can’t help it…I </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>shouldn’t </em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>feel like this.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You don’t understand--I’ve never felt this way before about anyone. </span>
  <b>
    <em>Anyone,</em>
  </b>
  <span> Adora. And I don’t know how, but you make me feel so weird and gross and good and scared all the same time, and I’m not sure how to deal with all of these...feelings. Doing that will make things more complicated.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There. She’d said it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora’s eyes were just as bright as the stars twinkling away in the night sky, although hers were most likely shining with reason similar to Catra’s with her frustrated tears. “Catra, it’s okay if you don’t know how to deal with feelings. They’re not things you can understand so easily all of the time,” Adora’s thumb swabbed away at something hot trickling down Catra’s cheek, and the gentle smile on her face was convincing enough for Catra to remain there with her a few moments longer. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You know, it’s funny you said that you felt a connection. I have too. It’s what made me get so scared I was going to lose you...You’re important to me, Catra, and I want to be there for you in any way that I can. You’ve already done so much for me.” There was a hesitant pause, and then Adora confirmed the end of her train of thought with one last offer. “So if I can be there to help you with these feelings...Please, let me know. Maybe...Maybe we can figure them out together.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra sniffled, still finding it impossible to speak any coherent words. Part of her was worried that if she opened her mouth again that there’d be some kind of immediate rebuttal to Adora’s offer, and she dreaded the thought. So instead Catra released a little laugh, a nervous one, extremely unfitting for her normally cold demeanor. But then again, nearly everything she’d said to Adora tonight had been something she’d never dreamt of saying…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And that’s exactly what tonight felt like. Unreal.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A dream. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She then realized that Adora was still waiting for an answer. Her companion’s patient, soulful eyes only wavered back and forth slightly in anticipation of the other girl’s answer, not impatiently or aggressively, and Catra really really wished she could--for once in her life--be entirely honest. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Maybe she’d thrown a few white lies into her conversations with Adora before, to smooth over conflicts that might arise or to guard Catra from her own insecurities. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But now, even if every part of her was screaming to give Adora the only correct answer there should have been, Catra couldn’t help but naturally, out of panic-driven passion, develop another pretense. After everything Adora had done for her, after everything she’d unwittingly inspired Catra to realize, the truth still wasn’t something she felt ready for.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...Sorry, Adora.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>me while writing this chapter: we're so close to the show finale on friday...should i give them some angst? make them feel worse than they already do? <br/>also me: yES.</p>
<p>lol nah--i hope you're all excited for catradora to become canon this weekend~~ i sure am!! ;) leave a comment if you have the time, i'd really appreciate it! don't forget to pls take care of yourselves watching the finale, and i'll see you all soon!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Thirteen</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>more catradora to come, i promise (it's still slow-burn, remember? lol). i just thought i'd give you a better picture of where everyone is at rn....these three separate journeys are going to merge very, very soon. :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Not long after Scorpia had introduced herself by mention of looking for one very particular, very special sword, she was swept into Entrapta’s lair, the outside world out of reach as multiple locks repositioned themselves against the door in a series of metallic and wooden clicking. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At first Scorpia was frightened by the unnatural, overly-enthusiastic reaction of her captor(?). For starters, she had assumed the shopkeeper would have retreated into her home to gather a pitchfork and shout out some sort of rallying war cry, but instead when she’d opened her mouth the first thing Scorpia had heard seemed something awfully similar to a compliment...And then when the girl with the purple pigtails had disappeared down a darker tunnel somewhere within the eerie confines of the shop, the legionnaire had trouble finding the door she’d been initially suctioned through; she figured having it within claws’ reach would be ideal if an escape was needed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But when Entrapta had returned from the abyss with nothing more than a platter of tiny food and the biggest smile Scorpia had ever seen plastered to her face, she couldn’t resist staying to talk for a while. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Breezy chatting initiated effortlessly, and stretched for what seemed like a few minutes. After Scorpia realized her life was not, as a matter of fact, in danger, and although she remembered she was on a tight schedule, meeting Entrapta seemed crucial to finding the sword. It was nice getting to take a break from all the running and extensive exercise that Emily had obscurely put her through. If they hadn't stopped at Entrapta’s place, Scorpia swore her lungs would have burst within her chest, like a set of wineskins under tremendous strain. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can I come with you??” Entrapta had quite literally screamed after the two shared prolonged introductions, a shower of scone crumbs cascading through the air in Scorpia’s direction as the other woman tried, as politely as she could, to shield herself from the debris with her large claws. “I </span>
  <em>
    <span>promise </span>
  </em>
  <span>I’ll be helpful! This is the kind of adventure I’ve been waiting for my entire life, and I can lead you around everywhere on the surface! Considering, y’know, you’ve only ever lived underground.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Scorpia tilted her head back and forth in thought, wiping what remained of the dessert flecks from off her face. Entrapta had a point. Scorpia really didn’t have any idea where she was going...although all she knew was that she needed to follow Emily, and trusted the shadow demon enough to lead her to the sword. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Although Emily definitely had the best sniffer around, heightened senses that could detect magical sources and interferences within the environment, and all that other good stuff (Scorpia still wasn’t too keen on all the abilities belonging to a shadow demon), there were a number of things she couldn’t do that Entrapta could. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>For one, Entrapta could talk. She also knew the area better up here on the surface better than Emily did, or so she supposed, considering she was a human who’d lived here their entire life. Then, she seemed to contain a vast amount of knowledge about this sword and countless other magical and scientific things, which would most likely come in handy at some point or another on their journey. And finally, her tiny food was absolutely </span>
  <em>
    <span>delicious</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So by some miracle, no thanks to Scorpia’s unconventional conversational skills (for she was still working on putting a limit on her ability to blab...the instance at the library when Hordak had summoned her was still fresh within her mind), a few hours later the three of them stood on the edge of the village outskirts. A frigid wind ruffled Scorpia’s hair playfully, and she smiled, feeling very warm in her chest but also very cold everywhere else, and nestled deeper into the cloak that Entrapta had lent her (it was a bit smaller than she’d hoped it’d be, but it only made sense, seeing that Entrapta was a petite person) closer around her torso.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The plan was simple, as she and Entrapta discussed fervently over an uncounted amount of incredibly small teacup refills and tiny desserts; Emily would lead them to the sword, Entrapta would act as a guide (and occasional scientist) when needed, they’d retrieve the weapon, and then the three of them would take the sword back to Hordak to fulfill his wishes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Scorpia, still a tad bit weary about Entrapta’s hyper-exuberance, was beginning to understand that although the two had met only a few hours prior, Entrapta’s obsession with anything magic or science related didn’t oppose her by stirring difficulty. Rather, it made everything much more simple.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I still can’t believe that I’m actually talking to a scorpion spawn--this might be the best day of my life! Faeries like yourself are so utterly fascinating!! Maybe you could allow me to run some tests later?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Their culminated desire to find the weapon had driven them back into the forest, and Scorpia swatted at a low-hanging tree limb, a few of the leftover scones they’d been sharing earlier precariously dropping out of her pincers and into the dirt. “Well, haha, well gosh--I dunno about the whole test-thing, kinda depends on what the tests are…But really, I wouldn’t say I’m magical or incredible or anything, really--I’m just your average legionnaire, throwing around lightning bolts when needed!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, you</span>
  <em>
    <span> are</span>
  </em>
  <span> special!! There’s no scorpion spawn up here,” Entrapta added with a depressed sigh, one of her pigtails swatting itself to her forehead to further her apparently distressed state of being. “Really, there’s hardly any magic up here at all...So you can imagine my excitement when that magicat and her blonde friend brought in a First Ones’ sword into my shop.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Scorpia popped another scone into her mouth, swallowing the piece of food after chewing only once. “Speaking of thae sword...It’s pretty rare, huh? I mean, I don’t know much about it, but apparently Hordak wants it for some reason. And Hordak’s reasons are always important.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> Entrapta shook her head violently, slapped herself in the cheeks a few times with the help of her pigtails to shake herself out of her unprecedented spiral into dejection, and shot Scorpia another smile so wide it looked painful. “Hordak’s the Demon King you told me about, right? The one who rules the subterranean kingdom you’re from?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes ma’am.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Entrapta shoved a number of pebble-sized, jelly thumbprint cookies into her mouth, unaware of crumbs spilling while she carried on with her enigmatic monologue. “I’ve read about him! Only in ancient manuscripts, of course--around here a lot of people believe that he’s nothing more than a myth, considering he’s only rumored to have started wars and tried eliminating magic on the surface sporadically. Everyone knows this was following the eradication of the First Ones and decline in magic these past hundred years.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Words melded into nothing more than white-noise as Scorpia’s eyebrows knitted together, and without hesitation she began pondering Entrapta’s declaration. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Wars? Hordak started wars to get rid of magic? ...Well </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>that </em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>wasn’t covered in legionnaire orientation. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, are you sure about that, Entrapta? About Hordak trying to get rid of magic..?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her companion reeled back in surprise, and Scorpia nearly dropped what remained of her miniature scones. “Of course! It’s not like I haven’t spent my entire life studying the past and anything magic and science related for nothing--I mean, I know a lot of what can’t be explained has been passed down through writing or spoken story, and things might not always be entirely logistical because of that </span>
  <em>
    <span>teensy, weensy</span>
  </em>
  <span> issue...But everybody knows the Demon King was blamed for all sorts of things. The disappearance of magical creatures. Villages being destroyed. Wars and destruction turning civilizations to nothing more than ruins--you name it!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Scorpia’s insides suddenly didn’t feel so good. It was like someone had unapologetically shoved an entire barrel of more scones down her throat, their dry, crumbled texture reintroducing thirst and the sensation of feeling heavier than she really was. </span>
  <em>
    <span>That...That can’t be true. Hordak would never...I mean, we’ve always done what needed to be done to survive and keep ourselves hidden. But Hordak...Would he really destroy magic just because he could? There must be a reason. Hordak always has a reason. </span>
  </em>
  <span>“So if Hordak gets the sword then..?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I dunno,” the other girl shrugged. She patted Emily’s head with a gloved hand, Scorpia wondering where along the line within their conversation she’d switched to a much lighthearted appearance. The soldier couldn’t deny a sudden pang of jealousy at the ability to change mindset so effortlessly. “After those two girls left yesterday I did some more research. I think the sword we’re looking for is called the Sword of Origin. After it was created there wasn’t much time in which the First Ones were able to use it before the other people around them wanted it for its unique power. All we know is that the sword can tell you the origins of anything, and that it’s supposed to have a protector. Someone who can utilize the untold power it contains...Incredible, huh? I find it fascinating that that’s all we know about it after a thousand years. But it can’t be helped; First Ones don’t exist anymore.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Feeling suddenly forlorn, Scorpia looked up, scanning the night sky for an answer she knew she probably wouldn’t find. </span>
  <em>
    <span>So Hordak wants this Sword of Origin, but no one knows how to use it except for the protector...How is that going to work? I wonder if the protector is one of the people who Entrapta met the day she said she saw the sword. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>One of Entrapta’s pigtails, appearing a deeper, richer hue of purple in the weak streams of moonlight, extended out to Scorpia, a handful of tiny cookies in its grasp. “Cookies?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thanks.” They were sweet; the jam from the strawberries, carefully embedded into each shallow pocket of the teensy treats, felt like ambrosia on Scorpia’s tongue, and somehow their taste soothed her enough to ease the tension that was building between her brow. Cookies like these were never available to them in the Horde; even in the library the only access she had to something that was even relatively close to these delectable desserts were the homemade scones the librarian would make. But those were a bit dry; she’d always been too polite to interrupt, or mention that occasionally the food lodged in her throat and she might need assistance to combat the blockage.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Anyways--I notice we’re heading in the direction of Brightmoon!” Entrapta mentioned rather airily, and Scorpia quirked her head in the smaller woman’s direction, afraid that perhaps she’d misheard.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry--Brightmoon?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah! We’re headed in the direction of Brightmoon. At least that’s where Emily is taking us. The people who had the sword are going that way, I assume!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Brightmoon? I’ve heard of that place before. Doesn’t that really ancient valkyrie or elf family live there, or something like that? I think I remember this part from orientation. </span>
  </em>
  <span>“Brightmoon is where that one angel queen lives, I think..? It’s been a while since we covered the topic of Etherian surface royalty; it’s all still a bit fuzzy up there in my noggin.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It seemed as though Entrapta knew exactly who the confused legionnaire was talking about, because she animatedly threw her arms up in the air to celebrate Scorpia’s educated guess. “Haha, yes! Queen Angella! We’re heading in her direction, but it’ll take a little while to get there. There’s still a few places we have to pass by first; Brightmoon is a bit far, especially by foot,” Entrapta stuffed the last of the cookies in her mouth, used her pigtails to tighten the straps of the oversized backpack resting on her shoulders, and began hustling after Emily while pointing ahead dramatically. “To Brightmoon!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Caught off guard and certainly not at </span>
  <em>
    <span>all </span>
  </em>
  <span>very enthusiastic about running again through the forest, Scorpia dropped the handful of cookies Entrapta had given to her moments before. </span>
  <em>
    <span>There’s a three second rule; it hasn’t been three seconds yet! </span>
  </em>
  <span>“Oh! Oh wriggling wyverns, not again-” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>An excited screech pierced the air, sounding farther away than she’d hoped. “Come on, Scorpia! Emily’s picking up on their trail, haha!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before her brain could short-circuit even more to further debate whether it’d been three seconds or not, Scorpia scooped up whatever she could with her pinchers of the treats that lay splayed dramatically on the forest floor, and, wearing a pitiful expression jogged after Entrapta and Emily, calves burning. </span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Leaving Brightmoon was the last thing Angella wanted to do. Taking into account Micah’s unstable state, finding a cure for his sickness hadn't been a choice; rather, it felt like she’d been forced to proceed and take such drastic measures. Angella didn’t want to lose him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She didn’t want to lose anyone else either; not Castaspella, not Glimmer, not any of her loyal Brightmoon subjects.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So when Castaspella had prodded the queen to say her goodbyes to Glimmer, perhaps even unravel the secretive concept of the journey she was embarking on, Angella pretended to acknowledge. She pretended it was an option. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But really, by now there’d been too many people to say goodbye to within her life. At the moment she wasn’t prepared to say another goodbye for fear that maybe it’d surface the reckless behavior Queen Angella was not known for. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was another reason too. Maybe it’d--on the off chance that somehow things didn’t work out--truly be the last time she would say goodbye to her daughter. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Things were already hard enough as it was, with all the arguing, festering anxiety, and downcast eyes that she and Glimmer shared nearly everyday at this point. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She refused to say goodbye on such a note. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The queen stepped over a blanket of moss, covered by sporadic patches of ruddy, dead autumn leaves splintering beneath her feet in crackled dissonance. It’d been too long since she’d left the confines of the castle, and out here in the open, in the wilderness, it was like time itself stood still. The chirping birds and flitting sprites, along with the hushed whispers of dryads and the melodic humming of brook nymphs, filled her heart and mind with near perfect peace, and Angella allowed herself a moment to smile. Just for a moment everything was as it should be, and there were no recurring, horror-inducing thoughts of what havoc would arise should she not find the sword or its protector. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She continued on after she was content with her decision to truly experience everything around her for a simplistic yet wholly satisfying moment. The sword’s magic was undeniably unique, tunneling through every nerve of her body in a warm, vibrating thrum; it was familiar, as she’d recognized before. Such magic was impossible to ignore, and with each step she took, plodding one foot at a time over the forest detritus, the continual sensation of the magic pulsating through her proved to be a constant. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Curiously, the further Angella walked, the stronger the sword’s pull. Almost like it too was coming near to her, like she and the ancient weapon were somehow drawing each other close with some kind of magnetic force. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The queen couldn’t tell how far away it was, but she allowed herself to believe that maybe it wasn’t as distant as she first perceived. Doing so helped relieve what stress remained within her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A faint yet shrill cry shattered the tranquil ambience suddenly, followed by the crashing of what sounded like a large, raging object ramming itself into a tree. Queen Angella’s heart froze as an unseen crowd of small creatures around her darted for shelter, scurrying past her without paying heed to the valkyrie woman standing completely paralyzed between an assortment of forest trees and other foliage. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Someone is in danger. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before she knew it, the queen was running through the trees, backtracking on whatever progress she’d made overnight in an attempt to pinpoint the location of whatever emergency was ensuing. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The voice--the shrieks--were familiar, and her heart wrenched agonizingly within her burning chest as she lurched forward again and again with each step, until she emerged into a clearing she’d passed by less than an hour ago. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>On the other side of the clearing was a wild spirit boar with bright glowing eyes, tusks as thick as medium-sized tree trunks, and terrifying speed, angrily careening into a row of trees. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As far as Angella knew, such creatures had never been known to attack anyone, especially within the Brightmoon outskirts. For hundreds of years, the magical beings around on the fringes of Brightmoon had lived in peace with their faerie brethren within the kingdom. So seeing this was completely unexpected, and quite frightening. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yet there was something even more frightening still.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Searing, cruel crimson, like twin embers encased by a coat of flames, simmered within the creature’s face as it glared at two smaller beings. Angella squinted, sagacious in developing a quick-witted connection when her gaze latched onto ebony veins, webbing their way around the spirit boar’s snout until finally prying into the beast’s eyes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Piecing together where she’d recognized such a horrifying disease, her mind flashed back to Micah and the incurable ailment that was plaguing her husband’s body. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Another scream, and Angella shook as she was tossed back into the continuity of such a scene unfolding. The two individuals being chased on the opposite side of the clearing she immediately recognized to be her daughter Glimmer and the princess’ friend Bow, and the sight triggered Angella’s blood to run even colder.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Etheria’s Knight...What is she doing?!</span>
  </em>
  <span> the queen pondered in bewilderment for but a brief millisecond before watching Glimmer and Bow scream again, right before the giant boar leered in their direction once more, spittle and hot breath razing the few inches between its prey. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Glimmer!” Angella’s arms were outstretched, not in a gesture for her daughter to leap into the safety of her awaiting grasp, but rather to prepare a rune that would siphon the creature’s attention. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The princess’ eyes flashed with worry, but upon seeing her mother’s fingers trace and scratch at the air in fluid, practiced movements to stir a pattern of light into existence, she felt slightly more at ease. “Mom!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angella’s rune, now ready and sizzling with magical potency, shifted in the air as the queen forced her spell in the creature’s direction. The thunderous trundling of the beast was offset for a moment as the rune’s magic collided with it, burrowing itself into the boar’s side and throwing it off track while their front legs buckled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What are you doing here?!” Angella shouted over the distance of whatever was left separating herself from Glimmer and Bow. She couldn’t deny dearly wanted to strangle her daughter (alright, not exactly, but give her a sincere lecture--or even worse--ground her for an unspecified amount of time) while Glimmer looked like she was about to open her mouth and deliver a sorrowful apology, but then the spirit boar heaved itself back up. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Another ferocious roar, this one more spine-tingling than those of which Angella had heard on the way toward the commotion, filled the surrounding atmosphere with more unapologetic vexation, and Angella traced another rune as fast as her shaking fingers allowed her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>By now Angella had successfully made her way over to Bow and Glimmer, and her magic connected with the boar once more, just a few paces before it met with herself and the two younger individuals petrified with fear. Wrapping her arms and wings around both Glimmer and Bow, Angella diverted their collision with the beast, and it skidded again in another direction after being impacted by the rune. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>What she was about to do next she’d never done before, but there was no time to stay and fight this creature; not only was she against doing so, but also there really was nothing she could do to pacify such outrage in a short amount of time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“M-Mom? What are you doing?”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Your majesty-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The queen was utterly up to hear ears in a mixture of anger, disappointment, and anxiety, and seizing one of Glimmer’s forearms within her grasp and one of Bow’s in the other, her wings unfolded in a spectacular, celestial display of urgency. “Don’t talk. Just hold on.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With one last glimpse at the spirit boar recovering from her last rune, Angella watched the creature wag its shaggy head back and forth, the once bright, cerulean eyes still filled with unrivaled anger. A second later and she thrust herself into the air, her wings straining against the added weight of two other people. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dead leaves, loose dirt, and the boar’s tempered breath flurried through the air around them, and the ground beneath, quicker than Glimmer would have imagined, seemed much farther away. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When the boar that’d been chasing them until their legs were screaming in protest had been reduced to nothing more than a speck in the distance, Glimmer allowed herself the chance to breathe out a sigh of relief. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The three of them hung in the air for a few moments, nothing between them but silence and the heavy beating of the queen’s wings against the autumn air, and Glimmer suddenly felt very small and insecure, nearly as helpless as she’d been before when she and Bow were battling against the angered boar. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>My mom is going to </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>kill</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span> me. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The flapping of Queen Angella’s wings and her breathing grew labored, and even though Glimmer desperately wanted to say something after meeting Bow’s anxious face (the way he bit his bottom lip was impossibly cute, but right now wasn’t the time to be thinking about such things), her mother’s dignified silence muted all attempts of words leaving her mouth. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>An unnecessarily-prolonged minute later and the queen, Glimmer, and Bow were back on the ground, crunching leaves and the soft squish of forest sod conforming to their feet. Glimmer had to restrain herself from sinking down to the floor to weep--she’d never known she’d miss being back on the ground so much (part of her felt as if her mom were going to drop her, out of spite or displeasure, at the surprising turn of events). </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And spirits knew that Glimmer really had no boastful control over her own wings yet.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Queen Angella’s wings folded behind her, blanketing her thin, pointed shoulder blades that jutted innocuously out of her back with the stress of her strenuous endeavor. She wasn’t facing Glimmer, and she wasn’t saying anything either; rather, her head fell into her pale hands, massaging her temples as a strained exhale echoed in safety of their new location some distance away from their pursuer. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> “Do...You think she’s angry?” Bow leaned in toward Glimmer, hands wrapped so tightly around the quiver strap across his chest that his knuckles seemed to be turning white. “Told you this was a bad idea.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Glimmer allowed her chest to pang miserably for another moment, just enough to give herself more time to think and develop her thoughts. “Probably...But that’s alright,” Glimmer’s fists clenched against her sides. “She can be angry.” </span>
  <em>
    <span>She’s not going to boss me around this time. I’ve made up my mind.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Glimmer.” The queen’s voice, sharp as a knife pressed up to Glimmer’s throat, only forced the princess to muster all her strength and stubbornness together, even more so than before. “...What did you think you were doing?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The princess huffed, not allowing such a putrid, displeased tone from her mother to stifle her courage more than needed. “I’m coming with you. I heard you talking to Auntie Casta about leaving to go find some kind of mystical sword, and I’m coming with you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angella, at this point in their conversation, had finally turned around to face Glimmer and the princess’ faun friend. Her mouth uncharacteristically opened and closed a few times while her mind pawed futilely for a response that wasn’t easily found.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> “You...You must be joking,” Angella managed to stammer, but judging by the serious, undivided attention and straight face that Glimmer wore, there was nothing about her claim that provoked hilarity. “...But it looks like you’re actually serious about this.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Glimmer crossed her arms over her chest, her brows furrowing deeper and creating a system of lines on her forehead that seemed wrong on her round, pretty face. “You’re right. I’m not joking. I’m </span>
  <em>
    <span>very </span>
  </em>
  <span>serious, and I can’t believe you weren’t going to tell me about this! You were actually just going to </span>
  <em>
    <span>leave, </span>
  </em>
  <span>and assume I’d be fine with that?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The hurt on Glimmer’s face was so intense that Angella had trouble tearing her eyes away, in fear that she’d only drive her daughter into a deeper state of heartbreak. Everything that was going on inside her, the frustration and disappointment swarming within her chest and causing her throat to prickle with constricted bile, only fueled Angella’s conflicting emotions. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t want you coming along. There was no need to tell you because I knew you’d behave irrationally, like </span>
  <em>
    <span>this, </span>
  </em>
  <span>for instance,” Angella stretched out an arm and motioned to nothing in particular, just the intense stretch of space separating them. “You nearly got yourself killed! And to top that off, you brought Bow along, and you almost got</span>
  <em>
    <span> him</span>
  </em>
  <span> killed too!” </span>
  <em>
    <span>Maybe if the spirit boar hadn't been so enraged...Maybe things would have gone better. But right now there’s no telling what’s out there. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The depression emanating from Glimmer warped into seething anger at the mention of her friend, who, idly standing aside the two women with an extremely concerned expression, shuffled his hooves together against the dirt before trying to add his own two cents. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m fine, it’s okay, hones-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Glimmer and her mom, under no circumstance having intended to communicate the same objectified reaction at the same time, fixed Bow with matching, irreconcilable magenta eyes. “No, it’s not Bow!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The faun whimpered, his knees buckling together as he swore he witnessed a tether of intense, tangible fury sizzle from the queen’s line of sight to her daughter’s. “Uh, okay, I’ll guess just be quiet now…” he muttered more to himself than to anyone else, because at this point the princess and queen of Brightmoon had devolved their attention to nothing else beside the rapidly brewing argument.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Bow is coming along with me because he’s my best friend, and I needed someone to back me up on this!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What do you mean, ‘back you up’? There is no reason either of you should be here right now; you nearly got yourself hurt!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s here to support me, just like I’m here to support </span>
  <em>
    <span>you!”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t need support, Glimmer. I need to do this on my own, and you are going to go back to the castle right now. It’s too dangerous.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not going back, Mom, even if it’s dangerous. Neither is Bow. I’m coming with you, and there’s nothing you can do about it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can ground you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t care if you ground me! You’ve pretty much sequestered me within the castle almost every single day of my entire life, and it’s been worse since Dad’s been sick. If you want to ground me, why don’t you just lock me up in a tower? Oh wait, you’ve basically already done that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angella plunged her head into her hands once again, muffled screaming ensuing for a few seconds before facing Glimmer with renewed anger. “Ugh! You are so </span>
  <em>
    <span>stubborn-”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Glimmer, somehow feeling as if she’d won this facet of the conversation with her steadfast determination, allowed the smallest of grins to penetrate her resolved demeanor, and Bow inhaled sharply, watching with bated breath as Queen Angella pondered what options were left. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s it; no more arguing. We’re going back. All of us, right now.” Angella’s long legs strode through the modest clearing without delay, or another glimpse of Glimmer’s haughty smirk, and it was only when she realized that there was no one following her that she stopped to pivot harshly on her heels. “What’s the matter? We’re going back. As your mother, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Glimmer</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and as the queen,</span>
  <em>
    <span> Bow</span>
  </em>
  <span>, I’m ordering you both to follow me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She couldn’t distinguish the exact emotion filling Glimmer’s eyes, the ones that reminded her so much of her own. Sometimes it felt, when she was lecturing her daughter, or informing her about something that needed to be done, like she was looking in a mirror. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> They were so similar, in so many ways. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bow sheepishly trekked after Angella, about to make his way past a scruffy bush that would have separated him from Glimmer, before her daughter reached out to latch onto the boy’s arm and prevent him from going any farther. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, Mom. We’re not going back with you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bow seemed confused and conflicted, unsure of whether he should be listening to the queen or his best friend, but Glimmer’s vice-like grip left him no room to negotiate.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And why is that, Glimmer?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Because we’re losing time! I heard you. I </span>
  <em>
    <span>know</span>
  </em>
  <span> it, and you do too. Dad is getting worse, and every moment spent debating over what to do is a moment that could cost him his life.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The sour knot within the queen’s throat grew larger, and struggling to swallow and shoot back another of her puissant retorts, she was only able to stare, dumbfounded, at Glimmer’s sincere, indirect admonishment. “...” </span>
  <em>
    <span>She is right. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And I don’t want to lose either of my parents,” Glimmer continued, “So </span>
  <em>
    <span>please</span>
  </em>
  <span>--Mom. Please understand why I’m doing this.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>By now, the princess’ heart was thundering dangerously within the confines of her sternum; never before had she spoken so brazenly to her mother, never before had she decided to stand her ground without budging an inch--and she felt stronger. Like she finally had some sway over the way she wanted things to be like in her life.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Beside her Glimmer heard passionate sniffles coming from Bow as he digested the scene that was unfolding right before his very eyes, and she didn’t have to look to know that he was failing miserably at holding back an army of tears. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her mother appeared to wrestle with Glimmer’s honest plea, and after a few seconds that dragged on longer than Glimmer would have liked (they were the moments where she felt doubt tug at the edges of her mind), Angella turned around again to face Glimmer and Bow. The boy was a complete mess, wiping away at a plugged nose and the rivers of tears with the back of his hands, while Glimmer simply stood regally, albeit with a tinge of sympathy in her eyes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>You know she won’t back down. She’s always been like this. And perhaps...Even if she is with me, things will turn out. They have to; there are no other options, and there is no time to go back.</span>
  </em>
  <span> “Alright.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Glimmer stood motionless, fully absorbing the single word that’d left her mother’s lips with the utmost care, and within her mind she turned it over and over again, like she was studying some kind of rare gem.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And then after a few seconds had passed, after she’d checked and double-checked each possibility to confirm that this was indeed her reality, Glimmer threw herself into her mother’s arms while Bow proceeded to shed tears of joy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It should have been a happy reunion.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angella was smiling, although somewhat reluctantly, at her daughter bear-hugging her midsection without the slightest desire to let go any time soon, but inside her gut wrenched with dread. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>If they are to come with me, they need to know what may lie ahead. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Glimmer,” Angella, simultaneously loving the feel of her daughter’s arms around her (she could not remember the last time the princess had hugged her…) yet also feeling the natural urge to breathe, carefully detangled herself from the embrace in order to properly face Glimmer. “I must have you and Bow know that this is an extremely dangerous journey. One that I cannot guarantee your safety for, as much as it hurts to say.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bow wiped at his face with the back of his sleeve before saluting the queen. “We know, your majesty. And we’re prepared.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Bow’s right.” Glimmer’s hand traveled down her mother’s side to rest within the larger, somehow more fragile-feeling digits of the woman who ruled Brightmoon. The princess could feel them trembling, and she quickly squeezed the hand cradled within her own reassuringly. “Even if it’s dangerous, that’s not going to stop us--stop </span>
  <em>
    <span>me</span>
  </em>
  <span>--from coming with you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At that moment Angella’s heart, once stricken by the onsetting panic of the emergency she’d found Glimmer and Bow in, felt noticeably lighter, and finding strength within Glimmer’s gentle smile the queen realized she’d never felt prouder.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>hope you are all doing well, and that you've taken care these past few weeks! feel free to leave a question or comment, i always love hearing from you &lt;3</p>
<p>also i think imma change the tags a bit--and expect a new character next chapter, when catra, adora, and dt make a new acquaintance~</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Fourteen</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>buff women, anyone?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Come </span>
  <em>
    <span>on,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Kitten.” Double Trouble’s fingers combed through Catra’s mane as she stomped forward, kicking at what pebbles littered the ground. When she didn’t reply they pinched the skin of her ear with razor-sharp nails, and Catra yelped, looking over her shoulder once she’d gotten over the pain to make sure Adora wasn’t listening in on their conversation. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No; as a matter of fact, Adora wasn’t listening at all. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The blonde girl was trodding along a fair distance behind them in the same despondent haze she’d been submerged in the past few days--after she and Catra had kissed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Another pinch of her ear again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Will you stop that?!” Catra’s fangs, bared and just as sharp as Double Trouble’s claws if given the chance, glinted back at the tiny hobgoblin on her shoulder. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her familiar just stuck their tongue out before lolling their head back toward Adora, who was busy studying the sword within her grasp “No, Kitten! I’m going to badger you as much as I need to about this. I can’t</span>
  <em>
    <span> believe </span>
  </em>
  <span>you just left her hanging like that...How absolutely horrific! I mean, don’t get me wrong--I love some good heart-wrenching drama--but Adora really cares about you. I don’t see why you couldn’t have entertained her feelings for a little while, just to make her y’know, not so depressed.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Excuse me? Entertain her feelings..? What about </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>my</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span> feelings? I have feelings too. They’re just...confused. And ugly. And messy. Which I </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>hate</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>.</span>
  </em>
  <span> “I already told you-” Catra seethed in as much a hushed whisper as she could, although fully knowing that Adora wasn’t anywhere near range of hearing. “I--I couldn’t. It’s not supposed to be like that. We’re just “helping” her get to Brightmoon; we spend a little time there, then after she’s content with finding whatever it is she wants it’s off to the Highlands. And </span>
  <em>
    <span>then</span>
  </em>
  <span> after I get the information I need we’ll probably go our separate ways. It’s better to not get attached.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A raspberry sounded in her ear, and Catra grimaced. “Pffft, fattest lie I ever heard! I know you like her, and I know you care about her. It’s just taking you a long time to admit it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra, completely fed up with Double Trouble’s agonizing (she’d been listening to it for the past two days, and it was beginning to drive her crazy), let out an incredibly long groan that echoed through the forest canyon, stirring some pinecones to fall from their perch within the trees. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If she would have turned around maybe she would have seen Adora lift her head in time to crack a gentle smile. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And even if Catra wouldn’t admit it, even if she swore to herself every day, every single time that Adora laughed or accidentally brushed her hand against the side of her arm, she knew there was something more between herself and the girl she’d found. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She just didn’t want there to be. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So much had happened the day that they’d been attacked by the wolves: Adora had discovered that there was more to her past when flashbacks interrupted their forest exploration, she’d rescued Catra and even healed her after her side and arm had been mauled by one of the atrocious creatures, the two had settled on the conclusion that Adora was somehow (as impossible as it seemed) a First One, and then the two, after a strangely intimate discussion, shared an unprecedented kiss. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As one would imagine, it was more than enough to digest. Catra knew Adora was struggling too. Once Catra had pushed her away both physically and emotionally, she realized she’d been successful in creating some distance between herself and Adora. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Which was silly, she knew that much. At some point Catra knew a fraction of her wanted there to be more between them, but Adora’s kiss planted so much more weight on the possibility of that happening, and it frightened Catra more than she thought it would.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra hoped that the distance she’d heartlessly installed would be enough to placate what muddled feelings still remained inside of her. But Adora, somehow, was able to stir the waters with the smallest of gestures; a warm (yet pained?) smile, an offer to help with something, an understanding nod. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And this, along with her disgusting feelings, Catra also hated. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At this point Catra was completely convinced that no, Adora wasn’t just overly-friendly and touchy and considerate because all First Ones were (heck, Catra couldn’t even prove that because First Ones no longer existed). </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This was just the way Adora was. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And after realizing this, Catra only found it more and more aggravating when Adora continued to show her kindness after what ensued between them the night they’d simultaneously grown closer together and farther apart. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Catra-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The mage’s ears pricked up at the sound of Adora’s voice, and although it hurt, just like it did every time, Catra forced her gaze to lock on the pathway ahead and not be drawn into the clear blue eyes that always seemed anything but icy when she looked upon them. “What?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“This is the canyon that leads us to Brightmoon, right?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>For about the past half an hour the forest the three of them had been trekking through began to thin out very discreetly, and instead of the occasional family of toadstools or conglomeration of bushes scattered here and there, more rocks began making themselves present. Such obstacles were only natural, considering this particular forest canyon rested between two mountain ridges, and although it was incredibly soothing to know that they were making progress sometimes such new terrain had its own downsides. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>For instance, Adora kept on finding herself double-taking what lay around her feet more often, just to make sure that she wouldn’t trigger any sort of awkward collision with Catra. Considering the curt reply the other girl had given her the night they’d kissed, she knew Catra wanted space. Adora respected that; Catra, although treating Adora much like a nagging memory she wished to forget, remained someone she didn’t want to give up on so easily.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora shook her head, hoping to successfully clear her mind from the ever-constant flow of thoughts circulating around Catra, and looked up to the left where deep gray and purple mountain tops peaked into the nebulous realm of the heavens. If Adora thought that the rock face she’d scaled a few nights prior was anything challenging, the crevasse of forest land between such dispensed a new trial. It was autumn, but during the colder seasons this area was infamous as the culprit of landslides. In even later, more chilling months, these mountains laden with overbearing amounts of snow occasionally relinquished their gaudy white cloaks on innocent passerby traveling within the canyon. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>...At least that’s what Catra had half-heartedly mentioned when Adora asked about the next steps necessary to complete their detour to Brightmoon. If things went according to plan and they made adequate progress, they’d be able to make it there within the week. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Few to no words were exchanged after the curt confirmation that this was indeed the canyon they needed to pass through in order to get to Brightmoon, and every now and then if Adora thought about everything too much or too hard there would be an uncomfortable tightness in her chest.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She only wished she had someone to talk to about it...Because as of right now, mentioning to Catra what Adora was worried about the most was simply out of the question. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So the next time she and Double Trouble made eye contact Adora made sure to flash the biggest grin she could, even if her heart wasn’t entirely feeling it, and shout-mouth </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Come over here!”</span>
  </em>
  <span> at the tiny green goblin sitting atop Catra’s shoulder. Double Trouble quirked their head to the side curiously and squinted, the beginning of a mischievous smirk manifesting on their face as Adora mouthed the phrase again, and with another exuberant wave of her hand she’d succeeded in coaxing the creature away from Catra. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll be spending a bit of time with Adora, Kitten~” Double Trouble purred as they hoisted themself off of the mage’s shoulder gracefully, and when Catra didn’t reply (they would have continued skipping over to Adora either way) the familiar scrambled up Adora’s thigh to settle comfortably near the blonde’s ponytail. “What’s new, Darling?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After blowing out a sigh of relief Adora tucked her sword behind her, safe between the loop of her belt and her toned back. Adora’s eyes remained glued to Catra’s wavering tail a few moments longer before shaking her head. “Nothing really, Double Trouble. I’m just...Y’know-” a strained laugh ensued, and she cracked a grin. “Over here trying to make myself feel better about what I did the other night. I thought I knew what Catra wanted, but now I know I’ve really messed things up-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before Adora granted herself permission to babble further to the hobgoblin about her relationship issues she glanced rather quickly over at the familiar, their toothy smile ever-present within her peripheral. “Listen. Please don’t tell Catra what I’m saying to you, alright? I really want to respect her space and her feelings, and although she probably hates me now I really don’t want her to hate me even more.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Double Trouble ducked as Adora weaved under a hanging pine branch, flitting a few fingers through their hair as soon as the obstacle was evaded. “Darling--maybe you don’t see it, but Catra’s a literal mess. And don’t get me wrong, I love that grumpy kitty--but she’s wrecking her brain over trying to figure out how to keep things going smoothly with you. So really, there’s nothing to hide from her. If anything </span>
  <em>
    <span>she’s</span>
  </em>
  <span> the one who's trying to hide things from herself, and I’m doing my best trying to talk some sense into her. I’m just not entirely sure it’s working.” </span>
</p>
<p><span>Up ahead Catra sneezed into the frigid autumn air; it was an unexpected sneeze, probably initiated from something tickling her nose, but the adorable sound was enough to bring another smile to Adora’s face in exchange for the frown she’d donned mere moments ago. “Oi! You better not be talking about me, okay?”</span><span><br/></span> <span>Adora would have stuttered out an honest, extremely awkward and bumbling reply were it not for Double Trouble’s saving grace to vocally intervene at the most dire of times. “Oh Kitten, aren’t we always talking about you? All good things though, all good things~”</span></p>
<p>
  <span>“Right. Like I totally believe that--your smooth tone doesn't trick me anymore, Double Trouble. But go ahead, fool Adora all you like.” Catra waved a hand flippantly over her shoulder, and when Adora opened her mouth to try and alleviate the tension creeping between them, Double Trouble elegantly fired another cheeky, backhanded statement. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not fooling anyone around here, Kitten. Adora’s attuned to facing her problems head-on, so there isn’t much to fix on her end. But there’s others who think that fooling themselves is easier...It’s never been much fun running away from problems, though.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora’s mind was reeling. She hadn't intended to instigate this kind of chatter, only desiring to talk with another individual who wasn’t Catra...But now it felt like this whole idea of hers had backfired, and the feeling of her gut literally compress itself up into a ball within her abdomen made her want to hurl. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Really now, Double Trouble it’s alri-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Within a split second Catra turned on her heel, marching over to Adora and Double Trouble with her bottom lip stiff between sharp canines to shove a finger in the goblin’s direction. “I’m </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>running away. I’m just-”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Just what, Kitten?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nearly as rapidly as Catra had darted over with the intention of delivering a malicious remark, the mage’s mismatched lemon and aqua eyes flickered between Double Trouble and Adora for the briefest of moments, and Adora almost entirely missed the hint of an embarrassed blush on the other girl’s dark, freckled cheeks. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora’s heart nearly flew out of her throat when Catra pressed a warm hand up against the blonde’s mouth, her sharp nails inadvertently pinning themselves a bit too tightly against the sides of Adora’s jaw. If Adora would have had enough room between herself and Catra (she wasn’t entirely disliking the lack of distance between the two of them, but it was a bit sudden and she wasn’t sure what to think of it yet) and Catra’s breath wasn’t beating down the unguarded skin of Adora’s neck, she would have noticed that the other hand not currently cutting off her ability to speak was clasped around Double Trouble’s diminutive head in a similar fashion. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t talk.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>What is it?? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Adora couldn’t concentrate with Catra’s hand over her mouth, but she did the best she could to listen to the command given. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you hear that?” Catra lifted her nose to the air to sniff a few times, her ears swiveling to and fro in an attempt to pinpoint the origin of the sound heard.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>No, I don’t hear anything-</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s too quiet.” Double Trouble had somehow miraculously pried themself away from Catra’s deadly grasp, and lifting one of their peculiar, lengthy ears into the air followed Catra’s ominous lead while Adora stood tense and muffled into silence.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The three of them allowed the eerily-saturated environment around them a chance to revoke their claims, and right when Adora swore a bird might start chirping again and pull them out of such a dreadful discomfiture the trees to their right parted dramatically.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Actually, the trees more appropriately cracked into splintered remains as a massive being, covered in patched layers of furs and bearing intricate patterns on their burly, bare arms, tumbled onto the path in front of Adora, Catra, and Double Trouble. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora didn’t have to look to know that Catra’s fur was standing on end and her tail was puffed out rather adorably (she shouldn’t be thinking about such things at a time like this), and when the brutish being huffed, spewing a cloud of hot breath into the morning air, Catra, past her stage of initial fright, settled herself into a callous defensive stance.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The muscled being laughed with a quick roll of her shoulders, voice husky and deep and layered with ill-intent. “Easy there.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora </span>
  <em>
    <span>could </span>
  </em>
  <span>have been petrified by the new guest for a number of very logical reasons. There were the horrifying tusks protruding from the being’s lower jaw. The gleaming white bones dangling in the lobes of her ears. The sides of her shaved head with curious half-moons circling their way across her temple. Even the way her tone dripped with an unattainable haughtiness.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But no. Instead, Adora’s eyes were glued to the being’s arms. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The designs cascading down impossibly beefy arms confused Adora; she couldn’t decide if they were tattoos or actual engravings into the flesh...All she knew was that they were familiar, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on where she’d seen them before. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Why is my memory so bad?? Dammit! If only I could remember!</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Orcs,” Adora barely heard Catra mutter harshly over her heartbeat drumming within her ears, and even though she hadn't met an “orc” before something about the way Catra articulated the word automatically communicated to Adora that whatever they were, it wasn’t good.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Reflexively, Adora’s hands reached behind her back to attach themselves to the sword’s handle, pulling out the weapon and brandishing it before her while Double Trouble busied themself with burying their tiny body in her jacket. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The orc woman gestured toward the weapon. “That’s a nice sword you got there.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Twin burst of flames erupted from Catra’s palms, licking at the crisp air and dissipating the faint fog that had settled within the forest canyon. “Try again, orc.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Stepping forward much to her own--and Catra’s--surprise, Adora mustered the most determined face she could, and quite unaware of Double Trouble’s claws riddling her skin, allowed what adrenaline-fueled courage within her to take the reins. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And those are nice arms you got there.” Adora barely registered what slipped out of her mouth until the orc laughed, her booming roar echoing through the canyon and stirring what birds remained in the area into flight. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It took a moment for the orc to regain her breath, and when she did she wiped a tear from the corner of her eye with a battered finger. A second later and her meaty hand was splayed before the three, entertaining the emblem of a glowing rune, green and vibrant and obviously powerful enough to cause the patterns running up and down her arms to burst with life. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry Blondie--you’re cute, but flattery will get you nowhere with me.” The muscled woman waggled her fingers once and the verdant rune burst into a ball of crackling electricity. “The name’s Huntara. I don’t normally go around picking fights with little girls, but this time it looks like you’ve got something I want so I might have to make an exception.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Stand down and we won’t hurt you,” Adora tried, hoping her voice sounded more menacing than she felt, but when the large orc woman burst into tumultuous laughter once again the girl frowned. “Hey--I mean it!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Huntara grinned, intimidating razor-sharp teeth glinting back at Adora in a way that said they were eager to taste blood, and when the orc ran a pierced tongue over her upper lip Adora shivered. “I’d like to see you try, pipsqueak.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With her sword held close to her body (just as Catra’d taught her not long ago), Adora pulled back the weapon, her strength bundling up in the muscles of her forearms. Without another second wasted watching Huntara smirk at her, Adora branched off from Catra’s side to charge at the intruder standing before them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There had been no impulsive plan this time hatched during Catra and Adora’s few seconds of discussion, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>this</span>
  </em>
  <span> Catra was extremely concerned about while she watched her friend hurl herself at the woman standing between them and their path to Brightmoon. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>What is she doing?!</span>
  </em>
  <span> Catra thought incredulously, evoking a plume of flame from her open palm to fire at Huntara. Her hope was that their enemy would be too preoccupied trying to halt both attacks coming from separate sides, and either Adora or Catra would be able to land some sort of hit on their attacker. Maybe it’d give them just enough time to push past. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The premature hope fluttering within Catra’s chest was extinguished just as immediately as her fire by the blazing green lightning emanating from Huntara’s hands, but when her gaze flew over to Adora she realized maybe their fight wasn’t an entirely lost cause.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The characters along Huntara’s arms glowed even brighter and another ball of lightning flowed into her free hand, which she then sent hurtling straight at an incoming Adora. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>On the cusp of digging her sword into Huntara’s thigh while Catra also distracted the large woman with her fire, Adora realized she was a split second away from being blasted into the surrounding trees, and so reflexively whipped the sword up in front. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>All the chaos flying through the air-- from the angered grunts to the forceful shouts--dwarfed in comparison to the revelation of the sword. Holding the lightning at bay, Adora gathered all her strength to keep the weapon upright; the blade absorbed the magical impact, efficiently dissolving it into a shower of lethargic sparks. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Huntara’s mouth fell agape, and realizing she’d need to utilize more effort (for these kids were tougher than she thought, and that sword was </span>
  <em>
    <span>clearly </span>
  </em>
  <span>something else), the orc lifted both arms again into the air to summon an even larger, more wicked orb of flashing light before the Adora could try anything else. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> “Adora!” Catra’s scream tumbled through her dry throat as she called the other girl’s name. With feet beating fervently against the ground to rush to Adora’s rescue, she pressed off a fallen tree and launched herself into the air. Catra managed to plunge one of her hands into one of Huntara’s shoulders, feeling flesh and hot blood rake through her extended claws.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Somehow Catra’s spontaneous act of bravery successfully distorted the flightpath of Huntara’s second shot, sending the blistering lightning burrowing into the pine-needle covered ground--it was only a few mere inches that spared Adora a collision with the orc’s magic.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The blonde quickly rebounded and curled around Huntara’s side as Catra made her way over to Adora’s previous location, and finding her heart racing with excitement she couldn’t help but feel like their fight felt more like a dance than anything else. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And so they repeated, weaving, countering, and leering forward to pick at Huntara slowly; a blade-inflicted scratch here, a burst of flame there, until it seemed as though the orc between them finally had enough. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra was beginning to feel herself settle into the rhythm of things, and a gleeful twinkle in her eyes flashed Huntara’s way as warmth continued to buzz within her palms.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A toothy grin weaseled its way onto Catra’s face to claim some sort of unspoken victory, like she knew her and Adora’s knived waltz was no match for the orc, despite her power. As things were, orcs weren’t even supposed to be able to use magic as conveniently as Huntara was doing so right now.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And because of this belief, grown and furnished over many years spent delving into informational books about other beings one might encounter in the wilderness, Catra could never have predicted what was about to happen next. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The symbols encircling the orc’s arms glowed once more, this time brighter and sizzling with more electrifying power than before. Huntara then surged forward without any warning at a speed Catra was sure was impossible for a figure of her size, plucking the mage right out of the air as effortlessly as if she were an obnoxious insect buzzing around her head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Thick, calloused fingers wound themselves around Catra’s throat, forcing what air was left within her windpipe to tunnel out in a rasped, exhausted croak. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Huntara laughed. “You--You two really put up a good fight, I’ll give you that.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra’s arms were pinned down against her sides by the orc’s other extremely large, weathered hand, and the mage hissed, fur standing on end while she amassed whatever strength was left in her body to flurry out of her hands in streams of unapologetic flame. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And Catra could </span>
  <em>
    <span>feel </span>
  </em>
  <span>it; her magical energy in trails of spiraling fire were rushing out just as she commanded, but now, for some reason, her efforts were being extinguished upon contact with Huntara’s skin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This hadn't happened before. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Huntara’s blinding arms drew in Catra’s gaze as they glowed even brighter. The mysterious symbols waltzing along her skin teased her with their own version of a victory dance, and the most sickening smile Catra had ever seen plunged her deeper into reluctant despair. “I’m done playing games. Drop your weapon and hand it over Blondie, or your kitty friend gets it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>How is this possible?! She-She wasn’t immune to fire a minute ago… </span>
  </em>
  <span>“D-Don’t do it, Adora,” Catra weakly muttered, the words slow and slurred as her captor’s hand tightened. She couldn’t tell if Adora had heard her, but she wouldn’t let her friend hand over the sword.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora’s defensive stance faltered as she watched Catra dangle helplessly within the large woman’s grasp, and the continuous, rapid beating of Double Trouble’s tiny heart against the back of her neck convinced her to debate Catra’s plea only for a moment. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She watched as Catra closed her eyes, and Adora desperately wished the other girl would keep them open; she wasn’t sure if each time her eyelids fluttered closed it would be the last time seeing Catra’s mismatched gaze. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Adora, don’t listen to her…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The sword dropped from Adora’s hands to the ground. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>There</span>
  </em>
  <span> we go. I knew it wouldn’t take you too long to come around--now kick it over. Closer.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Through half-lidded eyes fighting to overcome the darkness eating at the corners of her vision, Catra saw Adora pick the sword up again and toss it Huntara’s way. Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion, and the orc took a few paces forward to pick up the weapon as Catra’s numb body dangled within her grip. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>No, Adora! Why..?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Beautiful.” Huntara examined her new treasure carefully for a few moments, admiring each dip of the golden hilt and the stunning gem that was cradled in the middle. Her mesmerized face begged to differ as she ogled the blade to her heart’s content, denouncing the damage it’d inflicted upon her. “Again, I really didn't want to have to do this, but you made it more difficult than it needed to be.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra’s ears were ringing. Huntara’s deep voice bounced around in her head like it was the only sound ricocheting through an empty cave, and amidst the droning of their enemy eclipsing any other thoughts or concerns, the mage barely registered herself being discarded onto the rocky ground. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Catra!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was Adora’s voice.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Kitten, are you alright?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And Double Trouble. They were here too. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her throat was completely numb, devoid of any pain at this point. Catra figured this was thanks to having the living daylights squeezed out of her, and, on top of that, she faintly recognized bile beginning to creep up from her stomach and into her throat. She knew sooner rather than later the combination wouldn’t make for a very pleasant sensation.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora’s hand cradled the back of Catra’s skull as she helped her friend sit up, and perhaps if they weren’t within this situation Catra would have found the physical touch rather intimate (as well as much too conflicting for her currently untidy feelings). </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But right now all Catra could feel was a much more negative emotion welling up inside her tight chest, surging to life with each pained breath she took. Blinking a few times as oxygen reentered her body, Catra felt herself slowly re-harnessing control over her senses, and turning her head as Adora’s fingers slipped out of her tousled mane discovered that their enemy had taken their leave.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Catra! Are you okay?” Adora’s worried blue eyes were preoccupied with the other girl’s questionable state, hovering all over Catra’s body to inspect every possible inch and assess for any visible injuries. “I’m so sorry--are you hurt anywh-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...You’re such an idiot.” Catra’s statement, dripping with an acidic fury, forced Adora to lean back onto her heels and give her a very confused look. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora’s eyebrows furrowed together at the comment, and Catra knew she was trying to decide if it was an affectionately-stated insult or something else. “Wha..What?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I </span>
  <em>
    <span>said</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Catra muttered again, this time louder and with more bite as she sat up, sharp pebbles digging into her palms, “You’re an </span>
  <em>
    <span>idiot</span>
  </em>
  <span>. You </span>
  <em>
    <span>literally</span>
  </em>
  <span> let your sword get taken away by some stupid orc, after I told you not to give it to her. I don’t understand how you can you be so--so-” </span>
</p>
<p><em><span>S</span></em><b><em>o </em></b><em><span>incredibly- </span></em><span>Catra’s hands were raised to the sky now in some sort of exasperation-driven plea to the spirits for mercy, because </span><em><span>how on</span></em> <em><span>Etheria</span></em><span> could she have been stuck with this </span><em><span>extreme </span></em><span>kind of bad luck, enough to the point where the sword got stolen by an reality-defying, magic-wielding orc??</span></p>
<p>
  <span>“You are </span>
  <em>
    <span>unbelievable</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Adora.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The blonde girl before her frowned, matching the similar, taken-aback expression on Double Trouble’s own face as they held tightly to the collar of her crimson jacket. “Catra...I don’t understand. I just saved your life. For the </span>
  <em>
    <span>second time, </span>
  </em>
  <span>thank you very much? I mean, I dunno...I thought it was the right decision!?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>By now Catra had managed to sit herself down at the base of one of the countless pine trees a few feet away from Adora, busy with burrowing her face between dirtied hands in order not to have to look at the girl before her. “I was fine. I would have made it out somehow.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, you wouldn’t have! I’m sure you noticed, but that orc--somehow--at the end of everything, got stronger. She was going to </span>
  <em>
    <span>kill you, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Catra.” Adora’s voice had started out so forceful, full of intent to hammer down the point that Catra’s suffering would have ended with more than just a broken bone or two...By the end of her declaration such resolve had fizzled out into an honest, sorrowful statement that clutched at Catra’s heart and refused to let go. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I told you, Adora. I was </span>
  <em>
    <span>fine</span>
  </em>
  <span>-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re more important to me than some old sword, Catra.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>No. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Catra clutched tufts of fur between her fingers tightly, patches of searing pain spreading across her skull like miniature wildfires.</span>
  <em>
    <span> No, you don’t understand! That sword is what’s going to get me home. It’s how I’ll be able to find out about my kind...And now without it that whole plan is ruined. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>One of Catra’s ears pricked up upon hearing an obscure crash, albeit muffled but able to be made out, somewhere off in the distance. Unfortunately, at this point she didn’t even bother lifting her head to decide if it were caused by the escaping Huntara making off with the sword. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Their robber was probably a mile away by now, if she were indeed still employing the unnatural strength she’d somehow utilized at the very last, possible moment in their fight. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Even so, there was someone else besides Catra who wasn’t willing to give up. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Maybe that was Huntara?</span>
  </em>
  <span> “I’m going to go find out what that was.” Adora’s voice wafted into Catra’s ears, unstripped of her determination, and the blonde stood for a moment in front of the huddled mage, hoping that her friend would say something. Anything. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So when Catra didn’t reply, Adora inhaled deeply, nodded to Double Trouble who was still perched on her shoulder, and began hiking through the devastated partition Huntara created upon her arrival. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was a few moments of near silence save for the crunch of stone and dried pine needles beneath her boots before Adora was gifted by Double Trouble’s saccharine voice posing a very valid question. “Darling, are you sure about this? I’m all for you going to investigate, but you don’t have any weapons on you. If it’s Huntara we find you’re done for.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora waved a hand and scoffed. “It’ll be fine! I’m actually hoping it’s Huntara. I want to get my sword back.” </span>
  <em>
    <span>And if I get the sword back maybe Catra will be happy again...Or at least not mad at me. I just can’t believe she actually wanted me to put her life in danger like that…It doesn’t make sense.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>More of Double Trouble’s silky words floated into the air, yet the mellow delivery of their next question almost blew Adora’s mind with their flawless accuracy. “Oh Darling...You’re thinking about Catra aren’t you? About how if you retrieve the sword she’ll be happy again?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A short, startled laugh reverberated from Adora’s throat, and trying to play it cool she pushed aside some stray hair hanging down over her eyes. “What? Pffft, no…Okay, </span>
  <em>
    <span>maybe.</span>
  </em>
  <span> I just don’t understand how Catra could be so willing to put her life in danger for the sword...Almost like her life doesn’t mean anything to her. And I hate that...It makes me so angry and sad seeing her like that...I just wish I knew how to make her happy,” Adora finished with a wistful sigh, her breath condensing into a faint vapor cloud. It trailed out of her mouth and into the atmosphere like a solemn cloud, floating away into oblivion.</span>
  <em>
    
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Another noise sounded, this one within earshot and very similar to the snapping of branches, and Adora immediately felt every muscle within her body tense as Double Trouble dove back into her jacket once again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I think someone’s coming--what do I do?!” Adora half-shrieked, half-whispered to the hobgoblin suffocating themself within her clothing. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>By now the snapping of branches and twigs was getting louder and there wasn’t anywhere innovative to hide... Forget climbing up into a tree to prevent herself from meeting her doom with a rematch with Huntara; Catra wasn’t here to provide any levitation magic, so that plan was scrapped. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How should I know, Darling?” Double Trouble quipped anxiously, only succeeding in bolstering Adora’s unfortunate state of apprehension as she pivoted on the balls of her feet again and again in no particular direction. “Maybe hide behind a bush?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“There’s no bushes to hide behind, just trees!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ahh--let me think!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“There’s no time to think!! Help me, Double Trouble-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay okay--I’ve got it. This is where acting comes in! Play it cool, act like you weren’t just trying to track down the person who just stole your ancient First Ones’ weapon. Aha! Maybe make up an excuse? You were traveling and got lost!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora’s head swiveled back and forth for a few more seconds, as she was desperate for a better hiding place than one of the thousands of pine tree trunks that peppered these parts of the canyon--nowhere would do her cause any justice, considering her bright red attire stood out like a sore thumb. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And to make things worse, acting wasn’t her thing...But maybe at this point there was no choice. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I </span>
  <em>
    <span>told </span>
  </em>
  <span>you it came from over here, Mom--why can’t you just listen to me for once?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Glimmer, I don’t have time to be arguing with you right now-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Um, your majesty? I don’t know if it’s the best idea to be heading toward the bright lightning and loud noise…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora settled for leaning herself up against the trunk of the closest pine tree, arm supporting her weight as she tried to reinvent some sort of nonchalant, innocuous pose, and when a regal-looking woman with white wings followed by a smaller version of herself and a dark-skinned boy emerged into her line of sight, Adora nearly doubled over in fright.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The sound of leaves crunching underfoot ceased when the three individuals stopped, mouths hanging open, most likely gawking at Adora’s attempt to appear inconspicuous. As inconspicuous as slouching beside a tree in the middle of a forgotten forest canyon could possibly get, that is.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh spirits oh spirits oh spirits who are these people what am I going to do it’s not Huntara?? </span>
  </em>
  <span>With a push off of the trunk that provided enough momentum to allow herself to stand, Adora cracked an extremely nervous smile. “Uhhh, hi there.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No response. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Why was everyone like this? Why didn’t people want to talk to her today?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Pssst!” Beneath her jacket, Catra’s familiar prodded the blonde girl in the shoulder. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Act!</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh, right right! Act. </span>
  </em>
  <span>“Hey! Sorry to bother you...I’m just a regular, weary traveler like yourselves--you know, just doing some travelin’, nothing else. It might seem a little random but you wouldn’t, uh--you wouldn’t have happened to see a giant purple lady with glowing arms and a big sword walk past here, have you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The woman with the pair of wings as white as snow and tucked carefully behind her back just blinked a few times Adora’s way, like she couldn’t quite comprehend the exact question the girl was asking. Even so, there was also something else within her expression; as much confusion as there was clouding her perfect features, there was also a fragment of familiarity. This Adora easily sensed within the way the woman’s mouth, once contorted by disbelief, slowly morphed into a thin-lipped smile. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Adora, is that you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>What the..? How does she know my name? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Adora’s hand found itself against the back of her neck, hot skin flush against her fingertips as she felt sweat begin to bead up in conjunction with the uncertainty of how to respond to the question. “Uhhhh, Adora? Not sure who you’re talking about…” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The woman took a step forward, hand outstretched in a gesture of safety, almost as if she were approaching an animal she knew would skitter off by committing one wrong move. “Adora. That’s your name. Don’t you remember? It’s me, Angella.” The woman’s unblemished wings unfurled slightly, and Adora half-heartedly wondered if the lady had done so on purpose to install a sense of angelic, divine safety. “I’m the queen of Brightmoon.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>The queen of Brightmoon?!</span>
  </em>
  <span> Adora nearly spat, but before she could do so another pinch of Double Trouble’s nails negligently tore the skin between her shoulder blades, and instead Adora forced a fake cough into her fist. “Ah...Queen of Brightmoon, right! I, uh--remember you, of course! Sorry, you’ve er, changed--I almost didn’t recognize you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The blank stares shooting Adora’s way informed her that she hadn't relayed the correct response. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Shoot shoot shoot shoot--I </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>hate</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span> acting!!</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” The woman, supposedly Angella, quirked a brow Adora’s way. She looked like she wasn’t entirely buying the charade Adora was working so hard to keep, but then again the girl really had no idea what she was doing. “I...I looked like this the last time we saw each other. It’s been a while...But I haven’t changed. And neither have you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>More pinching ensued over her back and Adora knew that the Double Trouble was bothered by what they obviously knew was going to come next. They were keen in that sense; always able to discern not just Catra’s, but her inner emotions and thoughts, and at times like this Adora wished it wasn’t so. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And if Catra were here and aware of Adora’s plan, she was bound to get some sort of slap upside the head. The other girl had called her an idiot multiple times by this point...Perhaps she was right? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You don’t remember her, do you..?” It was the girl this time, unabashed pink hair shimmering in what little sun managed to penetrate through the canyon’s layer of fog. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was obvious these people didn't see through Adora’s ineffectual lie, and to be honest it was somewhat of a relief--when the older woman’s shoulders sagged dejectedly at the question her miniature self posed, Adora didn’t find it necessary to prolong her act any longer, no matter how much Double Trouble may have been opposed to the idea. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Listen,” Adora began with a tentative step forward in the direction of the queen and the two younger individuals beside her, completely unsure if what she was making was the right choice (because, as Catra had protested earlier, apparently Adora didn’t know how to make correct decisions). “I don’t know who you are, I’m sorry...I don’t remember you at all. But it seems like you know me somehow, and if you do--well, I need your help.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The boy with the goat-like legs beside the queen gave her an inquisitive look, but there was a softness in his brown eyes, like he truly recognized that Adora was reaching for any sliver of salvation that graciously presented itself. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“My sword was stolen and I need to get it back.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>hey, y'olks! as always, i appreciate all the feedback, comments, and love you all have giving this fic--thank you!! i know i've mentioned it before, but they're honestly what keep me going and drive me to continue writing this story, so they're very important lol &lt;3 thank you as well to my new beta, revenantearp, for all the support and suggestions given so far :) </p>
<p>i hope you all enjoyed this chapter and that you'll stick around for the next! take care, loves &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Fifteen</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>catra, adora, and dt regroup with the brightmoon peeps to initiate mission impossible (a.k.a retrieve the sword back from huntara)</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Queen Angella stood there for a moment, allowing the words to sink in. Then, crossing her arms over her chest and fixing Adora with a questioning look, she muttered aloud one of the most undesirable dreads possible. “You don’t have the sword..?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora shook her head. “No. It got taken from me during a fight...”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Who was it taken by?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“An orc named Huntara.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh spirits...This isn’t good. Not good at all…” Angella dragged a hand from the top of her long, pale face down to her chin, the gesture more dramatic than she intended; even so, it communicated effectively that this wasn’t an ideal situation. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know it isn’t good!” Adora stepped forward again, the feeling of disappointing yet another person (and quite interestingly an individual whom she’d just met) adding to the weighted sense of guilt within her gut that was already swirling unpleasantly. “And even though I have no idea who you are--again I’m sorry, I literally don’t remember </span>
  <em>
    <span>anything</span>
  </em>
  <span>--there doesn’t seem like anyone who will help me right now. My friend Catra...She’s mad because of what I did, and I won’t go back until I find out a way to retrieve the sword.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The younger woman next to the queen cracked a generous smile, one that soothed Adora’s overloaded state of anxiety just enough for the blonde to listen. “Don’t worry, we’ll help you. My name’s Glimmer, by the way. Angella is my mom. And that’s Bow over there,” the girl motioned over to the boy, and he too flashed a kind smile Adora’s way while resting a comforting hand on the queen’s shoulder. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Such smiles and willingness to help were something Adora was not yet used to in this lifetime. The reason why? Despite her attraction to the girl she’d been traveling with, they clashed with the simultaneously rude and amiable facets of Catra’s personality that flipped back and forth at the drop of a hat. Catra was clearly in a league of her own, that much was undeniable. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So maybe, taking that into consideration, working with these new people wouldn’t be so bad.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Maybe both she and Catra could use a change of pace. Some fresh faces and a few extra helping hands.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Without knowing she was even holding her breath after hearing Angella mutter out her woes about the lost sword, Adora exhaled sharply, quite relieved with Glimmer’s enthusiastic offer to help. “Oh my goodness, thank </span>
  <em>
    <span>you so much,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> And there the blonde was, hands grasped around Glimmer’s shoulders and shaking her back and forth in jubilation as the other girl’s pink head bobbed back and forth. “You don’t know how much this means to me! I swear I could just die of happiness-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hold on there, haha,” By now Bow had successfully helped Queen Angella regally stand back up to her feet after her short-lived panic attack, and the boy threw another kind grin Adora’s way. “We can’t have you go dying on us! We need that sword too.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At this Adora found herself utterly confused. “You do? What for?”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“My husband,” Queen Angella swiftly interjected. “King Micah of Brightmoon has been afflicted with a serious illness...One that I am beginning to believe is more a curse rather than an affliction. As to who or what the curse may be caused by, I cannot confirm yet. And while on our journey here to find the sword, I’ve started to discover that the plague that seizes my husband also appears to have claimed other beings in Etheria.”</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora’s fingers fumbled with the sides of her jacket, twisting and pulling the edges absentmindedly as she digested the queen’s words. “Okay...I’m still a bit confused as to what this has to do with my sword though..?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Your sword, Adora, may be the only thing in all of Etheria that can break this curse. With it comes the ability to heal, as well as identify the source of such an evil.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Wait--what? My sword..? Breaking a curse?</span>
  </em>
  <span> “I-I don’t know about that,” Adora stuttered, suddenly wishing that Double Trouble--or better yet, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Catra</span>
  </em>
  <span>--would intervene in their conversation. She hadn't been prepared for this precipitous detour in their discussion, and hearing a familiar voice would have allowed her to not feel so helpless in the grand scheme of things. “I mean...Yeah, my sword can heal people. I just recently found that out. But I don’t have any conscious control over that; it kind of just happens on it’s own, I think...So I’m not sure if I can help you in that aspect. I’m not the person who you think I am. I’m just...</span>
  <em>
    <span>Adora</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Upon voicing the last syllable of her downhearted admission, Catra’s words surged through Adora’s mind like a tumult of rainwater through a ravine in a flash flood. </span>
  <em>
    <span>‘If you are somehow, mystically defying all the laws of space and time and whatever, to be </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>here</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>, with</span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em> me</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>, right now...I think it’s gotta mean something.’ </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m just Adora, aren’t I..?” Adora couldn’t figure out who exactly she was aiming the question at, but saying it aloud--recognizing it as a viable obstacle that was necessary to overcome--seemed essential if she were to figure out the answer.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angella’s eyes, familiar as much as they were new, softened. “You are the sword’s protector. A First One...Maybe the last First One.” There was a pause as Angella waited for any sort of reaction from Adora, but nothing, not a single rebuttal or exclamation flung itself into being. And so she continued timidly, albeit with an unsure spirit. “What is it that you don’t remember?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“People. Places. Pretty much everything...There’s only fragments.” Adora ran a hand through the confident yet disgruntled poof at the top of her head, channeling all the memories of her past that she could retrieve. Nothing aside from the dream that occurred within the village’s inn, and the flashbacks she had within the remains of the earth-covered First One’s community where she and Catra had been attacked by wolves came to mind. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know I’m a First One...But if they all died a thousand years ago why am I still here? And how do you know who I am?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Adora…” Angella stepped forward tentatively, her wings giving off an other-wordly glow that Adora seemed to vaguely remember after recollecting what pieces of her past lay shrouded within the recesses of her mind. “I sincerely wish I could tell you everything you want to know...Despite me being an immortal being having gathered years of knowledge, I cannot explain why you are still here. Not because I don’t want you to know, but because I truthfully do not hold the answer. After the First Ones were attacked by those who were once their neighbors and allies, you disappeared, along with Mara.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Mara…I know that name. </span>
  </em>
  <span>“Mara--who is she?” Someone else, a familiar face, sun-kissed and smiling, seeped into Adora’s mind, and she suddenly remembered that Mara--it made sense now--was the one she’d seen within her vision at the First One’s ruins.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She was your friend, as well as the sword’s creator--an incredibly kind-hearted, brave young woman much like yourself. Unfortunately I was only able to meet the two of you once when you visited Brightmoon in celebration of our alliance with your people. After that, times were peaceful for a little while, and then when the war started I never saw either of you again...Both of you disappeared.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But when I sensed the sword’s power again, I could hardly believe it...I thought that perhaps it had been destroyed somehow after the war began. But no, there it was, that familiar pulsing of magic...It told me that I would be able to find you, and that not only Brightmoon but </span>
  <em>
    <span>all</span>
  </em>
  <span> of Etheria has hope of regaining peace.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Glimmer and Bow seemed nearly as stunned as Adora, and watching from either side of the queen they exchanged quizzical glances; Adora wondered as she made eye contact with Glimmer for a brief second if they too hadn't known this, all that Queen Angella was telling her-- telling </span>
  <em>
    <span>them?</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was as if all the sporadic ghosts of her past, the ones that had haunted Adora in sleep and during the waking hours, had been assaulting her right and left over these past few weeks in preparation for this exact moment--for this exact culmination of raw knowledge. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And yet, somehow, it didn’t feel completely like everything Angella was saying was Adora’s life. She still couldn’t remember anything aside from the old woman Razz, her disheveled hair and riotous laughter, and then fractured glimpses of Mara. The dream and vision she’d had earlier made slightly more sense with the queen’s background, but everything still felt so far away.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“One last question,” Adora breathed out, her heart hammering away in her chest with anticipation for the unknown. She was sure there’d be more time later to pester Angella with questions, and as much as she wished to ask every single query that popped into her brain right now, she also had to keep in mind that Huntara was very likely getting farther away with the sword the longer they stalled. Thus, she resorted to asking only those of utmost importance, of what she felt within her heart that she needed to know in order to take the next step forward with confidence. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How can I possibly save Etheria? I don’t know the first thing about how to...y’know, defeat evil with a magic sword and all that stuff.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Seeing Adora desiring the slightest bit of a lead to saving Etheria despite clearly showing some nervous reluctance caused Angella to smile softly again. “I’m not a First One, but I have been practicing magic for more than a thousand years...So I will do what I can to help you learn how to use your sword, if you’d like. Channeling its power to heal is merely only the beginning.”</span>
  <em>
    <span> And I will tell her later, when the time is right, what else her sword is capable of. I cannot say for sure who or what has placed such a curse on my husband or the beings of Etheria...But the only way to confirm my suspicion is with the sword. And this we must retrieve in order to do so.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah!” Glimmer careened into Adora’s ribs with surprising strength, the small wings on her back fluttering with excitement while Adora pondered the offer. “You could come back to Brightmoon with us after we get back your sword; it’s beautiful there. Bow and I can teach you things too!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The warmth against her side from Glimmer was comforting as Adora gathered enough resolve to meet Queen Angella’s imploring, amethyst eyes, and finally the blonde realized something. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Am I...I’m here for a reason, aren’t I? Maybe this is why I’m here. </span>
  </em>
  <span>“Alright. If you help me get my sword back, I’ll return to Brightmoon with you to heal the king...And do whatever else I can for Etheria.”  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was nothing Adora could have done to prepare herself for the hug that Angella enveloped her in; the queen’s arms were thin but strong, and although they quivered every so slightly Adora knew in her heart that it was because the queen was thankful. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you, Adora.”</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>After Adora and the others settled on what was to be done to reclaim the sword, Adora informed her new Brightmoon friends of their need to head back to Adora’s companion Catra. It wasn’t an option going to get the sword without her, Adora thought, and she sincerely hoped that since now there was a possibility of successfully retrieving the weapon the mage wouldn’t be so upset.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>By now, Double Trouble had taken the opportunity to pop out of the blonde’s jacket, and after scaring Bow nearly half to death as they all watched the faun leap out of his cropped cardigan, the hobgoblin gave a charming little bow and watched with glinting eyes as the three newcomers responded to their introduction.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They had all agreed that after retrieving Catra they’d follow Angella to the sword, as she was the most attuned to the magic currents that Adora’s sword emanated. After that, if the situation called for it, they’d deal with Huntara together. It wasn’t the most detailed plan ever, but it seemed reasonable enough, and Adora stood strongly with the opinion that she couldn’t have concocted anything so elaborate herself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Soooo, tell us about this Catra person you’ve been traveling with, yeah?” Glimmer nudged Adora in the ribs with the tip of her elbow as they walked, adding a flirtatious wink for effect. By the way Adora had spoken about Catra, the princess wasn’t quite sure how to think of the blonde’s traveling companion, and seeking further immersion into what gossip was available, thought it best to prod Adora for more juicy details. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The other girl blushed slightly, raising a hand to the back of her neck again in embarrassment, just as she’d done earlier when meeting Glimmer and the others. “Well--she can be really nice when she wants to be, and she’s really good at magic and fighting. She’s the one who took me in after I found myself here in Etheria, and promised she’d help me get home.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So she’s your friend, right?” Bow cut in enthusiastically, slinging an arm around Glimmer’s neck while his best friend feigned annoyance. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I...Yeah. Something like that,” Adora answered. Of course she wanted to be friends with Catra--but if she was being completely honest, she wanted to be more than friends with the other girl. As of now though, it didn’t seem that Catra wanted the same thing. “She’s someone very special to me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Awww, that’s so cute.” Even though Adora had spent less than an hour with these people she could tell their hearts were extremely kind, and upon turning to Bow she wasn’t surprised to find him shooting her the biggest, warmest, brown puppy-dog eyes she’d ever seen. “She sounds like a wonderful person. I can’t wait to meet her!!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Double Trouble scoffed abruptly at Bow’s claim, and Adora desperately wanted to reach up to her shoulder and wrap a hand around the goblin’s mouth to quiet them before they could say anything else about her and Catra being more than mere traveling companions. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Much to her benefit though, the familiar said nothing on the matter. “Catra’s something else...Adora’s learned the hard way that she can be pretty grumpy, so don’t let that catch you off guard. Even so, she can be rather sweet when she wants to be. I know because I’ve lived with her my entire life; ever since I was abandoned by my family in the crumbled, charred remains of firewood within an old hearth…” They raised an arm to drape over their head dramatically, and Adora, Glimmer, and Bow all quirked their heads to gawk at the hobgoblin.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora dipped under the low-hanging bough of a tree, its deep green, needled leaves tickling the back of her hand as she moved it to the side for her new companions to follow after. “What?! You were abandoned in a fireplace??”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, as unruly and barbaric as it sounds, I was indeed abandoned in a fireplace. At that time I was nothing more than a few days old, and when Catra found me covered in soot she took care of me, making sure I was healthy and strong. I thought my family would return to gather me, but they never did...But by then I felt more at home with Catra than I did with my former family. We’ve been together ever since.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At this point all eyes except for Angella’s were on the little creature sitting on Adora’s shoulder, chock-full of disbelief, amazement, and wonder (maybe a few tears too), and Double Trouble grinned wickedly, quite enjoying all of the attention. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora couldn’t help but smile to herself at that. </span>
  <em>
    <span>That really does sound like Catra...Helpful and caring, even if she never wants to admit it. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A triad of mesmerized praises soon filled the air, satiating the ache for applause that the hobgoblin so truly desired, and when Angella realized that the crunching of dried pine needles had abated behind her, sighed, rolled her eyes, and urged for their small party to continue. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I do believe that the faster we retrieve your companion the faster we will be able to find your sword?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah!!” Adora’s legs scampered after the queen on their own without another reprimand, Bow and Glimmer following suit beside her and falling into another comfortable conversation, this time about their favorite desserts (Adora absolutely</span>
  <em>
    <span> had</span>
  </em>
  <span> to bring up muffins).</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Within a few more minutes and Adora’s occasional guidance of direction on the occasion when she</span>
  <em>
    <span> wasn’t </span>
  </em>
  <span>chattering away with Bow and Glimmer, the four of them succeeded in reaching the area in which Adora had left Catra.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If Catra was able to tell earlier when Huntara was trundling toward them even if she wasn’t in the immediate vicinity, Adora felt very confident that Catra was aware of her returning with a handful of individuals whom the mage hadn't yet met. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And how right Adora was.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra was standing by the same tree she’d retreated to after insulting Adora, leaning her back up against the trunk with her arms crossed over her chest indignantly. Her eyes, as vibrant as the sky and sun flashing in the horizon, pierced Adora’s soul as viciously as a serrated knife when the other girl walked back into Catra’s field of vision. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The daggers being sent across the short distance between them forced Adora to ask her new companions to stay behind, just for a moment, and although Bow was obsequiously squeeing about how cute he thought Catra was (“She’s literally a </span>
  <em>
    <span>cat! </span>
  </em>
  <span>Adorable!!</span>
  <em>
    <span>” </span>
  </em>
  <span>he had nearly shouted, only to be muted by Glimmer’s hand flying over his face), Glimmer assisted in placating his fanboying to allow Adora some time alone. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora wasn’t even three paces away before Catra spat out the question that’d been sitting on her tongue longer than she wanted. She’d heard the commotion that’d gone on in the forest after Adora’s departure, the crunch of autumn’s keepsakes and muffled conversations had entered her ears a few minutes before her friend showed up again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Who are they and why did you bring them here?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“They’re from Brightmoon.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Brightmoon? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Catra’s gaze flicked back to the three people standing off to the side somewhat awkwardly, and when the faun boy waved at her like he was a six-year-old meeting up with his friend for a playdate, she quickly turned back to Adora with her eyebrows furrowed together so hard it was almost painful. “They’re from Brightmoon. So what?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>So</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Adora continued, gesturing very gently toward the people behind her, “they are willing to help us get the sword back! Isn’t that great?! I know we were kind of down on our luck after Huntara got the sword, but then I ran into them in the forest and they said they’d help. That’s actually the queen over there, Queen Angella. You see that lady with the pretty wings? Yeah, that’s her--and then that’s her daughter Glimmer and then there’s Glimmer’s best friend Bow-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra’s hands shot into the air, signaling for Adora to quit talking. “Okay okay--so let me get this straight. After you ran off to find Huntara you ran into the Queen of Brightmoon and her two munchkins? </span>
  <em>
    <span>And </span>
  </em>
  <span>on top of that they somehow agreed to help steal the sword back from Huntara?” </span>
  <em>
    <span>That doesn’t sound right. It’s too good to be true...Who’d want to help some random stranger they just met without getting something in return?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The rhetorical question lingered within Catra’s mind for a moment, and she wasn’t sure why exactly it had refused to dissipate along with her anger until it occurred to her that she, Catra, was guilty of the same crime as these people were. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, exactly!! They’ll help us get the sword back and then they said they can take us to Brightmoon.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra pretended to debate the proposition a little longer, although there was only one way she felt about this entire scenario. “What do they want in return?” </span>
  <em>
    <span>I don’t like this. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora hesitated for a moment before answering. “The king of Brightmoon...He’s sick. I’m going to try and heal him.” Upon seeing Catra’s face contort with skepticism she tacked on a bit more information. “And something about a curse..? Saving Etheria, or something like that, haha-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra’s straight face only furthered Adora’s anxiety. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey! It’s not like I entirely believe them about that or anything, not yet…But they said they’d be willing to help if I at least give it a shot trying to heal King Micah, and we were going to head to Brightmoon anyways so...It couldn’t hurt to help them out in return too, y’know?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The mage pushed herself off of the tree and gathered up the remnants of their supplies without another glance her friend’s way, even as Adora continued to add more to her soliloquy, anything at this point to abate the frustration that so obviously emanated from Catra.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>If they know what the sword can do then it’s possible they’ll want it for their own reasons. Adora doesn’t think ahead this far. And we’re already supposed to be going to the Highlands.</span>
  </em>
  <span> “Whatever--I’ll guard the rear while you trust your new friends to lead you to the sword,” Catra mumbled brusquely as she pushed past Adora, Double Trouble scampering off of the blonde’s shoulder to switch their perch as the two girls bypassed one another. “Let’s just leave already.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora didn’t know what to do. Or more accurately, she couldn’t decide how to respond to Catra’s ill-mannered behavior, and although she dearly wanted to ask Catra what was wrong--for she could not assess what the issue was with such a stroke of luck--time was of the essence.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And so Adora, wiping back a frustrated tear she had just discovered resting at the corner of her right eye, shook her head to rid herself of the doubtful thoughts within her mind, inhaled deeply, and walked back over to Queen Angella and the others.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>A few hours passed by; quickly for some, agonizingly for others.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra, as she’d taken solely upon herself to do, ambled behind the rest of the group with Double Trouble for company, flattening her ears down against the back of her head to block out the chittering laughter produced by the two Brightmoon youths. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sometimes Adora joined them with a giggle or a half-hearted chuckle, and in between her conversations with the faun, the sparkly princess, and the sparkly princess’ stickler mother, Adora would turn back, even if just briefly, to find Catra’s wavering gaze. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And it hurt Catra. It really did. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It also seriously annoyed her how those two Brightmoon dimwits were glomming onto Adora’s arms, dragging her this way one moment and another way the next, as if she were some kind of ragdoll. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But Adora didn’t seem to mind; rather, she seemed charmed by their annoying antics, and the sight of Adora smiling as they weaved in and out of canyon trees bribed her gut into churning around restlessly within her abdomen. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Their group of six, led by Queen Angella, continued trekking through the canyon at a reasonable pace (Catra was convinced they’d be able to go faster if Sparkles and Goat Boy weren’t so clingy with Adora), and though she’d never admit it when the queen had announced that the sword seemed to be in a stagnant position--not getting farther away--it was a relief to know that they’d be able to reach their destination soon. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Whatever lay in store for them, however, was a concern they weren’t sure how to face quite yet. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If what Queen Angella said was true, then the sword was sitting somewhere...But did that mean that Huntara had purposefully left it in a particular area to converge on their party in another ambush? Did Huntara drop it somewhere, or hide it somewhere and run off? The latter two options seemed less believable.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When the Brightmoon queen raised a hand authoritatively to extinguish the chatter behind her from Glimmer, Bow, and Adora, Catra and Double Trouble stood silently behind knowing that they’d just arrived at their destination. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Well, kind of.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“There.” Angella pointed to something far above them, nestled deep with the belly of fog and barely visible through the patches within the atmosphere that didn’t completely cover the rock face hundreds of meters above them. “That’s where the sword is.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Glimmer blinked a few times, as if her mother had just spoken some kind of foreign language, and raised a finger to point to the sky timidly. “The sword is up there?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The princess tried flapping her wings a few times, but instead of them lifting her off the ground to transport her to their destination, they only succeeded in creating a miniature flurry of dried pine needles, pebbles, and other dead leaves. “Well I guess flying isn’t an option…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra, fed up with the princess’ naive antics and thought process after spending hours of agonizingly watching her and Bow interact with Adora from afar, drove past Glimmer (she made sure to bump into her as well; it made the whole interaction much more dramatic). “Not for you, at least,” Catra grumbled before rolling her neck and cracking her fingers. “It’s gonna take a lot more work to get up there than flapping some wings, Shimmer.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s Glimmer."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s what I said,” Catra rolled her eyes at Glimmer’s response, feeling a bit giddy with the thought that she was getting on the princess’ nerves despite hardly even knowing her. Maybe if she was lucky enough she’d annoy these Brightmoon people so much that she could continue on her way with Adora without delay after they dealt with the sick king. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> And Catra was right; their destination, ambiguously betwixt the layers of clouds and fog, took much more effort than originally planned. The slanted hills surrounding them steepened as the hard ground eliminated plentiful foliage aside from sparse thicket, rangy and simplified in their presentation due to harsher conditions amongst the mountain’s face. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was now evening. The sun descended further down into the sky, leaving a trail of orange and rose, and the horizon was set ablaze with the final fire that would soon surrender to night when their group finally heaved themselves up over a rocky overhang. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Darkness greeted them sooner than expected as they stared into an abysmal cave burrowing deep into the side of the canyon’s face; it growled back at them, like an open maw of pitch eagerly waiting to swallow them whole. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The sword is very close.” Queen Angella had her eyes closed and her brow deeped with concentration lines, almost as if she were attempting to block out the whistling of the wind and the incoming darkness to further pinpoint the sword’s location. “It’s-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s in there,” Adora finished for her, and the queen nodded. “There’s only one thing left to do then, I guess...Go in and find it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Something clutched at Catra’s heart while observing the resolve in Adora’s voice; how strangely confident she seemed, and if Catra were speaking honestly, this was but a facet of Adora that had drawn the mage in deeper. It was a part of Adora that Catra wished she didn’t admire so much, an occasional reminder that the girl wasn’t only just naive and friendly and optimistic and everything else that both repulsed and attracted Catra at the same time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If we stick together we might be able to defeat Huntara. We don’t know where she is right now, but we need to be on the lookout.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good idea.” Bow rifled through the quiver on his back, checking his supply of arrows to make sure there’d be enough for an encounter with the orc. “I’ve got my bow and arrows, Queen Angella has magic, Catra has magic, and you and Glimmer have, uh…” A pause separated his train of thought, and Catra fought back the urge to unleash a barrage of laughter. “Um, you and Glimmer have--a positive mindset?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Please, Bow,” Glimmer rested a hand on the boy’s shoulder, clearly appreciative but ultimately more pained by his inability to come up with a suitable “weapon” for Adora and his best friend. “It’s alright, Adora and I can protect ourselves…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>With</span>
  </em>
  <span> your positive mindset!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A sigh from Glimmer, and at this Catra couldn’t resist letting out a snort. “Right...Let’s just head inside. Like my mom said: the sooner we find the sword, the better.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They stepped inside the cave, tentatively at first, as if the darkness would absorb them with the first few paces, and when Angella gathered some magic into her hand to provide a glowing, pink cluster of light, Catra soon followed by igniting a flame within her own palm. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Pssst!” Double Trouble hissed into Catra’s ear after a few minutes while the mage stared mindlessly ahead, lost in deep, tangled thought of what could possibly lay in store inside this cavernous lair they’d ventured into. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra, startled by the unexpected sound and warm breath against her ear, allowed her fur to bristle up at the sudden noise. “What now?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, what now? That’s exactly what I’m wondering,” the hobgoblin crooned, and Catra was immensely grateful that the two of them were still at the rear of their new, larger group. “I’m just bored, Kitten. Although I thought maybe we could gossip while we walked to our doom.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Water droplets slid down the cavern walls, and Catra raised her hand to get a better look at their ominous surroundings; if she was right, they were literally walking further into one of the many mountains that made up the canyon, and the cave only seemed to be getting larger, wider, more frightful. “You don’t know that…Huntara might not even be in here. Maybe she hid the sword somewhere inside and left to go bother someone else.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Up ahead Adora’s conversation was muted, sparse if anything, flitting words and nervous laughter bouncing between herself, Glimmer, and Bow as the queen continued to reprimand their chatter. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You seem a bit jealous~”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The flame within her hand sputtered brighter, licking fiercely at the engulfing shadows that swam around them. “Stop it. I know what you’re trying to do, and it’s definitely not gossip.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Relax, Kitten. I’m just trying to take your mind off of possibly dying.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A low growl resonated within Catra’s throat, particularly where she was determined to keep it. “We’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> going to die.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wouldn’t it be sad if you never got to say sorry to Adora? I mean, look at her--she’s obviously downhearted about you giving the cold shoulder. And now that she’s trying to get along with those new friends of hers so that maybe she can find a smidge of happiness because you’re not being nice to her anymore, you </span>
  <em>
    <span>still </span>
  </em>
  <span>refuse to see how much she misses you,” Double Trouble took a moment to inhale dramatically after the windy disclosure, and then, waving a small finger in front of themself, continued. “Again: I love the drama, but at this point I’m just flat-out disappointed.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Fear clawed at Catra’s insides. Maybe Double Trouble was right...Maybe something bad would happen to them in here, and she’d never get to apologize to Adora for how she’d reacted--for how she’d pushed her away not once, but twice. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora had been her first friend (she wasn’t counting her familiar Double Trouble right now; they were pretty much partnered with her for life, having grown up together), the first person who hadn't taken one look at her and scoffed, or shook their head out of pity, mumbling something under their breath about how horrible it was to be the last of one’s kind. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora understood Catra in ways others didn’t, treated her ways others didn’t.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And there was a piece of Catra, nestled deep within her soul, that was fearful of what would happen if Adora’s feelings were to rebound back into reality. Such excitement of discovering the possibilities that awaited was ironically also enticing, were she to give Adora another chance.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Double Trouble pinched her ear between their wickedly-sharp nails, but Catra’s thoughts had transcended beyond the familiar’s instigated conversation. “Are you listening, Kitten?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra was, as a matter of fact, not listening. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Electricity hummed in the air as the faint scent of burnt flesh filtered into her nostrils, the smell circulating through the cave on what could only be gusts of chilled wind from the entrance.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>It's a trap. </span>
  </em>
  <span>“She’s back.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Excuse me?”  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Huntara--she’s back,” Catra muttered again, this time louder as she regathered her priorities and began to stumble forward on tired feet. “We have to warn the others!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A blast of green lightning flew past them, careening into the cave wall not far from their path, and muffled shouts and screams enlivened the frigid air with terror. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Huntara’s here!” Catra knew the declaration was useless at this point, considering the orc was somewhere behind them and closing in fast, but she was dedicated to making sure all of them were able to get out of this alive. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She was about to suggest an impulsive idea when Queen Angella drew a rune in the air; Catra recognized it as a temporary energy barrier spell, and as soon as the queen’s fingers finished encircling the pattern the magic pulsed to life, expanding to each wall of the cavern behind them and severing themselves from their incoming enemy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“This will hold her for a little while. But we don’t have forever--the sword is still in here! We need to find it and get out as quickly as possible!” Angella commanded, and in any other situation Catra would likely have rolled her eyes at such an authoritative order coming from anybody else’s mouth. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But right now, when her life and everyone else’s were on the line without the sword, a change of character was called into play.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra flew past Glimmer, Bow, and Angella faster than she’d thought possible, and reached for Adora’s hand to pull her forward into the darkness that lay ahead. A timid burst of flame wavered within her free palm like a guiding beacon, and blocking out the pounding of her heart and Huntara’s enraged, magical blasts against the rune’s barrier she continued forward, Adora’s fingers desperately entangled with her own. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Where are we going?!” Bow shouted from behind, his voice cracking above the ruckus of the million other things that were going on at the same time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra tugged Adora closer, taking note of the girl’s labored breathing. “The sword is still in here, Goat Boy! We have to find it quickly before-” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The opportunity for her to finish her sentence was eliminated when a reverberating groan, something that Catra could only imagine was the earth creaking around them--perhaps all of their mischief was inciting the mountain to collapse in on itself and put their adventure to an end once and for all--but when twin bursts of flame not summoned from Catra’s own palms billowed into the pitch expanse before them for a split second, her heart stopped completely. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>What she had believed was an earthquake of some sort had been instigated by another cause entirely...The universe shook with the immensity of the creature before them, and Catra clutched the hand within her own tighter than she ever had before. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She didn’t know if Adora wanted her there at that moment, holding her so selfishly (she had no idea where in the vicinity their Brightmoon friends were), but all Catra knew was that the intertwining of their hands was the only thing still tethering her to reality. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was also the only thing that drove her heart to continue beating after it had ceased to function, albeit for a brief eternity, out of absolute trepidation.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Their world of darkness exploded into light again as fire cascaded out of the creature’s nostrils, this time more purposeful and horror-inducing than the last time, and Catra finally realized that they were inside an immensely large, hollowed out lair of what could only be mystical proportions.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Another whoosh of air crackling with Huntara’s magic flurried behind them, only to crash yet again into the ground relatively close to their feet. Apparently Huntara had managed to bypass Angella’s barrier. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The flames before them illuminated Adora’s face just enough for Catra to see that the other girl was staring right at her, the blue of her eyes as honest as they were azure and anticipating something Catra couldn’t quite identify quickly enough.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Perhaps this really was the end. Just as Double Trouble had forewarned. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Another rumble shook everything as the creature reared itself up, this time gathering another deep breath to set aflame the new intruders who had fortuitously disturbed their slumber. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Adora!” Catra couldn’t even hear her own voice over the roaring of the dragon. “Adora--I’m sorry.” </span>
  <em>
    <span>For everything. </span>
  </em>
  <span>There was no evidence that Adora could hear her either, but then Adora smiled, and then Catra knew Adora understood. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was that exact sight--even if she glimpsed it for but a tenth of a second a heartbeat away from their doom--that filled Catra’s heart with enough peace to know that her friend forgave her for all of the stupid, selfish things she’d done up until now. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And at this point, Adora’s endearing smile had seared itself into Catra’s mind forever; even when blistering waves of fire engulfed her vision, it was still there, as vibrant and life-changing as it had been the day they first met. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>sorry for the wait, i was out of town last week! hopefully you guys enjoy this chapter; and before you fret, don't worry too much...nothing too horrible is going to happen to catra, adora, or anyone else. At least not yet. ;) </p>
<p>thank you again for all your support--both you lovely readers and my beta--and please don't forget to leave a comment or question if you'd be so kind. i'm eager to hear your thoughts about what might happen next! take care, and until next time, everyone &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Sixteen</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>just a lotta angst(?)</p>
<p>and oh hey--it's mara??</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>skjsk oKAY i'm sorry for the long wait in updating, but i was a bit busy this past week--mostly spending time on this lil' map for you all (and then running errands lol). thank you elvis_prelsey for the suggestion of making one!! hopefully it gives you a better idea of where things are in this au's version of etheria :) </p>
<p>without further ado, chapter sixteen~</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>She was floating. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hovering within a sea of nothingness, awash by the mellow tides of a gentle warmth.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Groggily Adora blinked a few times, her consciousness coming to terms with the nebulous infinity that stretched before her; blinding white streamed from every possible angle, forcing a single thought to consume Adora’s frazzled mind.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Am I dead..?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With such a possibility slandering what hope for a future she had left, Adora bolted up from her relaxed position, her back ramrod straight and eyes as wide as saucers. Glancing around, she noticed the surrounding, infinite expanse held no answers to such a serious question.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora’s fingers grazed something beside her, and the warmth of another body sent a wave of relief flowing through her tense limbs. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Beside her Catra lay curled in a fetal position, clenched fists pulled tight to her chest. Judging by the rising and falling of her sternum and her closed, heavily-lashed eyes, Adora knew that Catra was asleep, just as the blonde herself had been. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Or at least she </span>
  <em>
    <span>thought</span>
  </em>
  <span> she’d been asleep...She still wasn’t quite sure if they were dead or not. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And where was everyone else? Where were Double Trouble, Queen Angella, Glimmer, and Bow? Why weren’t they here? Not that she didn’t want to be alone with Catra (she was, after all, the person Adora cared about the most...Knowing she was safe, or at least alive, was reassuring.), but the lack of everyone else’s presence was alarming to a stifling degree. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Catra! Catra, wake up!” Adora immediately took to seizing Catra’s shoulders and shaking them, rocking the sleeping girl back and forth desperately. “Something happened to everyone else, they’re gone! And I think maybe we died-” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A clawed hand waved itself in the air at Adora, swatting at the other girl’s face and practically forcing the blonde to joggle Catra yet again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, stop that--listen, okay? I think we died or something--I don’t know where everyone else is.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Slowly coming to terms with the fact that Adora wasn’t going to let her continue sleeping, Catra blinked her mismatched eyes blearily a few times, processed the words through her buffering brain, and bolted upright--unexpectedly ramming her head into Adora’s own. The two girls’ pained groans spoiled the ambient silence, only until Catra snapped back to attention. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Turning to face a mumbling Adora who was still fretting over the red mark blossoming on her forehead, Catra digested the conundrum that was their new environment. “What the..?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora’s heart felt lighter upon hearing Catra’s voice because </span>
  <em>
    <span>thank goodness</span>
  </em>
  <span> she wasn’t alone in this mysterious, alien place. Even if she were the one between both girls who openly embraced an optimistic mindset at any and all times, Catra always seemed to provide the often-cynical voice of reason. And right now that realist persona of Catra’s, Adora was hoping, would bring some sort of relief-inducing, pragmatic view. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Freaky, right? I don’t know where we are. And everybody else is gone...”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe we’re dead.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I really hope not...”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The thought of death wasn’t enough to deter Catra from something even more disturbing, and suddenly realizing her shoulder felt naked, lifted a hand to pat down on the area beside her neck. “...They’re gone. Double Trouble’s gone too.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora sighed, trying not to let herself sound as exasperated as she felt. “That’s what I’ve been trying to say. Everyone’s gone, Catra. It’s just…” She fumbled with an invisible trinket between her fingers, remembering the way Catra had shouted over the din right before their lives ended in a wash of unforgiving, roiling flame. “It’s just you and me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The faintest hint of a blush invaded Catra’s dark cheeks, turning their constellation of freckles a shade deeper. Unknowingly, she’d managed to lure Adora’s attention away from their frightening scenario for a few seconds. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And then, before Catra could even begin to understand what she was doing, started reaching toward Adora’s hand. She wasn’t quite sure what she was going to say or do, thinking she’d figure it out when it happened--but when a booming voice filled the air between them she jumped back, every single strand of fur on her body bristling.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re finally awake.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The sudden declaration was enough to make Adora forget Catra’s attempt to bridge the distance between them, and a surge of adrenaline flooded through her veins to launch Adora to her feet. “Who’s there!?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“An old friend. Please do not be alarmed.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra and Adora exchanged glances.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>An old friend? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Adora wanted to spew, but bit back the exclamation on her tongue, choosing to proceed with something more amiable. “Okay...Uh, can you tell us if we’re dead or not? ‘Cause I’d really appreciate that,” Adora asked as she glanced around, still not able to decipher who it was speaking to them or where the voice was coming from.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Even if they couldn’t physically see the other individual, something akin to a smile sounded within their voice, and Adora’s frantic heartbeat was alleviated by yet another factor. “Do not fret--you’re not dead. I apologize for frightening you and your companion into thinking you might be. There has been much chaos and wrongdoing over the years, and assuming you meant ill-will as well I foolishly attacked before confirming your identity. Forgive me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But--But the dragon. And the fire! I could have sworn we were burnt to a crisp. And what about the others? Are our other friends alright? Where are they?” Even if she’d wanted to, Adora wouldn’t have been able to stop the verbal assault of questions tumbling out of her mouth.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Recalling magic is something not impossible for me. As for the rest of your friends, they are safe; merely sleeping. We still reside in the mountain, but you Adora, and your friend--I’ve pulled you into a special, constructed dimension that resides within your consciousnesses. A sort of shared mental periphery, if you will. Catra happens to be here with you right now because of your connection to each other.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra’s ears perked up at the mention of a connection, and pressing off of the ambiguous, invisible flooring to side beside Adora, glared lethally into the white brilliance surrounding them. “Hold on--what do </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> know? You have </span>
  <em>
    <span>no idea</span>
  </em>
  <span> what we’ve been through,” she sneered, bearing gleaming fangs that Adora suddenly felt anxious about, seeing as how their omniscient acquaintance had, so far, been rather polite. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora thought it best to jump back into the conversation again, hopefully to withhold any more rude remarks from Catra. “If you say you’re an old friend, can we see you..?” She had reason, reason stitched together by broken dreams and phantom intuition, that whoever they were talking with was someone she could trust (as half-witted as it might sound).</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was a pause, as if the other individual was hesitant in deciding the answer they felt comfortable in delivering, but after a few seconds they obliged. “If you wish. I do not mind showing you my true form.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The air several paces in front of them quivered, as if an invisible fire had been ignited beneath, distorting the atmosphere into a whirlpool of nothingness that quickly began to suction in a mixture of color. A deep gold, swirling with an animated hue of orange as vibrant as the dawn came into being, steadily increasing in height and length until Adora and Catra were face-to-face with a creature so colossal and so regal that what breath remained in their hyperventilating lungs vanished.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You-You’re Khankora.” The name felt foreign on Adora’s tongue, though in her mind she realized she’d succeeded in reaching deep into buried memories, ones concealed by time and her inability to recall the past. A comforting smile spread across her face as she, for once and without disappointment, </span>
  <em>
    <span>remembered. </span>
  </em>
  <span>“We’ve met before, didn’t we?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We have indeed met before, young one,” the dragon nodded, and the gesture filled Adora from head to toe with pleasure at the recollection of an old friend. “I realize that even though time has passed by for me much quicker than it has for you, there is much you do not remember. This, I concede, is my fault--and again I sincerely apologize.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra remained silent, and the sudden sparsity of words aimed at the dragon for their actions or appearance filled Adora with a heavy sense of dread that saturated the inside of her stomach. “What do you mean it’s your fault? I-I don’t understand.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“My enchantment. Such life-altering magic withholds the weathering and effects time holds over finite beings such as yourself, but with the spell also comes aftereffects that I hold no power over.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Wait...An enchantment? </span>
  </em>
  <span>“You...You put an enchantment on me? Why?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The heavy echo of a sigh sounded from Khankora, obliterating what silence reverberated in the void space surrounding them after Adora’s troubled prodding. “...If you desire an explanation I will do what I can. But knowing that you don’t remember your past, I will also offer you the opportunity to experience it. The past makes you who you are now, and without it one is nothing but lost; wandering through life without any inkling of memories to shape them into who they are supposed to be.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>And who...Who am I supposed to be?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Adora’s eyes could not resist finding Catra, who glanced back at her with concerned, twinkling gold and aqua orbs that quite literally bore straight into her soul. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was there, resting within the embrace of such tender spirit, that Adora felt the absolute necessity of belonging not just somewhere but to </span>
  <em>
    <span>someone. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She wanted to belong here, with Catra, wherever that may have been. But with everything that had been happening, with her dreams and visions and talks with a certain Brightmoon queen a thousand years old, part of her--the fragment of being that revelled in doubt and incompetency--told her she didn’t fit in. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And because her past was the part of Adora that she couldn’t understand, locked away somewhere behind heavy doors within her consciousness, there surged the overwhelming desire to comprehend.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With every culminating thought that invaded her headspace unabashedly, there seemed only one logical choice to be made.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She did not want to be alone again, and thus found it somewhat appropriate to return the gesture Catra had been wishing to initiate earlier. Gently, she clasped the other girl’s hand within her own. “Catra...Will you come with me?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The mage’s eyes wavered, considering what exactly Adora meant. </span>
  <em>
    <span>How can she still want me to be with her..? To remain by her side? After all that I’ve done… </span>
  </em>
  <span>“I-I don’t know…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Please, Catra. I don’t want to do this alone.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The urgency in her voice was crystal clear. If this was what Adora wanted right now, then Catra felt within her heart that it was only right to stay. To start amending what damage she’d caused up until now.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...Alright.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A soft smile spread across Adora’s face, and after her startling blue eyes had wandered over Catra’s features gratefully a second longer than mayhap was necessary, turned to the towering creature before them. “I want to know who I am and why I’m here...So please, show us.”</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Adora stopped dead in her tracks after the two of them burst through the foliage surrounding their village; the lofty trees and sporadic bushes orbiting the burning homes and agonizing screams acted as a protective buffer, muffling the pain and fear no longer within her peripheral.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But even if the forest provided its own format of a beneficial blockade, nothing could completely erase what had happened--this was her home, as were the people still in the village, and she couldn't just leave everything behind so simply.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mara, stop!” Rain pelted against her face, belaboring against fevered skin and dripping into her eyes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The older girl whipped around at Adora’s command, and equally as soaked and disturbed as the blonde herself was, forced herself to spare a moment to talk. Fear threatened to completely overthrow her already anxiety-ridden body, and the longer they lingered here she knew their chances of living dwindled with every passing second. “What is it, Adora?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With her hands shaking uncontrollably Adora dared to look back at the gleaming smoke that managed to rise over the tree canopy. It mingled with the dreary clouds and rainstorm so much that she couldn’t quite tell the two apart, only except when the firelight of the burning village homes refracted in their bulbous tendrils. “We can’t leave them. We have to go back! This isn’t how we’re supposed to do things--what about our families? Or Razz? The ki-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mara’s usually gentle voice had never sounded so gravely determined, and the older girl struggled to hold back the throng of negative emotions eating her alive. “Adora, we don’t have time for this. But more so than that, we don’t have </span>
  <em>
    <span>a choice</span>
  </em>
  <span>. This is the only way for us to protect the future, and everything else that lies ahead.” Mara turned her back to Adora once again, refusing to meet the other girl’s tear-ridden, sky blue eyes; just one look was enough to stir a whirlwind of guilt within her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She didn’t want to leave either. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora was right; this had been their home. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Razz told me to take you to Khankora, and bring the sword along. It’s the only thing we can do to make sure it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands if we want to protect Etheria.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora didn’t move for the longest time. When Mara swore that their enemy’s cries were getting increasingly louder as they plowed deeper into the forest, she seized Adora’s hand. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We have to go.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Thankfully this time Adora didn’t refuse Mara’s entreating order, and with boots dripping with layers upon layers of mud that seemed to weigh them down like lead, they continued plodding through the forest as fast as their legs would carry them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It wasn’t until it was completely dark, the moon having retreated behind a curtain of gray clouds gorged with restrained moisture, that the screams and smoke faded.  For now, the devastation was out of sight but not as easily out of mind as they might wish...For how could one ever forget such destruction?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Time spun away without them as the night dragged on, and when Mara announced that they’d best make camp and rest for a while Adora wordlessly obliged by plopping herself down into a patch of wet grass.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She watched, eyes flicking back and forth without an ounce of interest on what was unfolding before her, as Mara’s calloused hands claimed a rock and scraped it against a shard of flint she always carried around within her pocket. Before Adora could voice her reluctance about a fire blooming to life in such depressing weather, the cluster of semi-damp twigs sputtered with dull flames that threatened to succumb to the harsh conditions.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They’d decided (well, to be more accurate, the decision was mostly Mara’s) to surround themselves within a cozy array of bushes and trees, those which belonged to some unknown location deep within the forest.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As much as Mara would have preferred finding a tree to roost in to minimize the chance that something would find them (such as a roving pack of wolves, a manticore or some other ferocious beast, or even quite simply their attackers)--climbing in this weather was unwise, and if to further her doubt about such an idea, Mara recalled she wasn’t too confident with Adora’s tree-scaling skills. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If anything, such ludicrous, badly-timed summer weather was infuriating...Yet if thought about in a reasonable manner, it also provided some of its own benefits. For one, the copious amount of rain would aid in smothering their tracks and what scent intermingled with the forest floor’s arrangement of mud, broken twigs, and fallen leaves. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The small assurance of some hope during their hapless situation brought the faintest smile to Mara’s face, her skin numb against the combination of diminutive heat their humble fire provided and the slackened rain on her cheeks. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Reaching over her head to grab at the weapon on her shoulder, Mara finally splayed the sword before herself, gingerly balancing the blade between both hands. It felt lighter than expected. She wasn’t sure if that were because her whole body was slowly coming back to life or because she’d grown so accustomed to feeling its hilt between curled, nimble fingers.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>For a moment she’d lost all recollection of anything else and simply admired the blade as it gleamed back at her within the faint firelight. Around a minute had passed before her mind registered someone sniffling, and lifting her gaze once again to reconnect with reality she found herself meeting Adora’s familiar blue eyes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The other girl stared back, brows furrowed deeply as shadows danced over her countenance like faeries around a bonfire would on Midsummer. Without even knowing, such downhearted outward appearance flooded Mara with worry for what would come next...because </span>
  <em>
    <span>of course </span>
  </em>
  <span>Adora was filled with questions. If Adora hated her or Razz for the remainder of her life after things were explained, Mara would understand why; she’d sympathize with every single thought Adora had, every single pain and angonzing desire that was sure to overtake her being. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Stepping around the small fire she’d created, Mara closed the distance by settling beside Adora on the ground and wrapping her arms around her knees in the same manner Adora had done. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey.” She gave the younger girl a nudge with her elbow, managing to budge Adora to the right just enough that the blonde’s reverent spell was broken.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora grumbled softly in protest. “Hey yourself,” Adora tossed a rock into the fire, forcing all of her attention back into the flames sputtering helplessly before them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh come on,” Mara’s voice carried the hint of a smile it always did, and Adora didn’t have to look to know that Mara was back to being her old self again. Whatever contour of withdrawn urgency had soaked her words before while they were making their escape had been warmed by a combination of silence, time, and the depressing thought that now the two of them were most likely the only remaining survivors. “Don’t be like that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What do you mean ‘</span>
  <em>
    <span>Don’t be like that</span>
  </em>
  <span>’?” Adora gestured to the fire, as if it were the one she was conversing with rather than the muscled girl beside her. “How can I not ‘</span>
  <em>
    <span>be like that</span>
  </em>
  <span>’? We left everyone, Mara. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Everyone</span>
  </em>
  <span>. We ran away.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No. She wasn’t understanding this correctly. “Adora, I don’t think you quite understand the reason for leaving...And I’m sorry, I wish I had more time to explain when I was telling you we needed to go, but we couldn’t risk putting our lives in jeopardy so close to the village. Those people--they wanted the sword, and if they were to get their hands on it you know what that would have meant.”</span>
</p>
<p><span>Adora remained silent for a moment, digesting Mara’s words for the umpteenth time as her jaw clenched and unclenched. “I know. If anyone else aside from us or the faeries gets the sword they’d use it for evil...To destroy others.” A pause. “But they’re already doing that. They </span><em><span>just</span></em> <b><em>did</em></b> <span>do that. Our family, Mara...They’re gone.”</span></p>
<p>
  <span>Timidly, as to not upset Adora, Mara placed an arm around the other girl’s shoulders and pulled her in closer until the top of Adora’s head pressed snugly beneath her chin. “Even if everyone else may be gone we still have each other. And I promise Adora: I won’t ever let anything happen to you. I’m going to make sure that you’re safe, always. As long as I’m alive.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora shivered in Mara’s grasp, the sudden heft of such a pledge shaking her to her very core. She wanted to believe Mara, even if she didn’t know exactly what said promise entailed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is...Is that why you’re taking me to Khankora?” The dragon lived far away, much farther than a day’s walk; thinking of the majestic creature kind enough to grace their village brought to mind the careless days Adora had spent sprinting through the forest with the wind tousling her hair and the thrum of sprites’ wings pulsing beside her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The pounding of Mara’s heart simmered beneath her bronzed skin, and this close to Mara’s chest she could feel the tone resonating like the rich pangs of a festival drum. “Yes. Razz and Khankora decided that if anyone were to survive--to protect the sword and ensure it remains kept safe--that it needed to be left with someone they trusted.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At the confession Adora bristled, pulling away from Mara’s embrace to stare intently at her friend, confusion and dismay twisting her features into something unexpected. “Wait--What? They want me to take care of the sword? That doesn’t make sense...What about you? You’re the one who made it.” Adora felt like she was grasping for straws, excuses that didn’t quite exist anymore within the direness of it all, and the way her heart was hammering away within the confines of her ribcage didn’t contribute to tempering her anxiety. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The strong hand on Adora’s shoulder squeezed gently, and Mara’s ocean eyes sparkled back in the dim lighting cast by the fire somehow miraculously still burning. “I’m not the one they chose. They picked you for a reason.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But why?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> “Because of your heart. You being you, Adora. You’re special, and I’m not just saying it to be cheesy or make you feel better about everything--I’m being honest. They see something that gives them hope about the future; that if there’s anyone who can bring the faeries and humans together, it’s you. And I believe--with my </span>
  <em>
    <span>entire soul</span>
  </em>
  <span>-- that they’re right in making that assumption.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The fire before them wavered as an unsettling breeze rushed in, and with the sky darkened by the parade of water-laden clouds there was no room for the moon to shine. Everything felt surreal, and Adora furthered her mulling by shoving herself further into Mara’s arms.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> It was the only safe place left. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mara’s soaked shirt muffled the younger girl’s voice only slightly, but thanks to the lack of distance between the two of them it wasn’t as challenging as it would have been to hear Adora’s timid inquiry. “What about you? Will you stay with me?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“My job, Adora, is to make sure I get you to our destination safely. And I will stay with you through it all, whatever may come our way.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora’s forehead pushed up against the bottom of her chin again, and instead of her skin feeling cold and clammy like it had before, warmth seeped into Mara as easily as if the two of them were basking beneath a sunny sky. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Again, Mara forgot the weight of the sword on her back, here with Adora nestled up against her; as she felt Adora’s eyelids flutter closed against the skin on her neck, Mara watched the wispy yet strong-willed flames of their campfire burned long into the night.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Everyday spent with Mara reminded Adora just how much she cared about everything; about her friend, about the forest, about the faeries, about </span>
  <em>
    <span>magic</span>
  </em>
  <span>--even though she couldn’t use it herself, it felt alive, humming around her with an almost palpable thickness that she could reach out and touch. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Life amongst her people had presented numerous advantages which socially tethered them to their faerie kinsfolk dwelling in Etheria. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As per the norm, such relations took time to build--but Adora had been able to experience such a time where the fruition of ancestors and generations past finally carved paramount milestones into history. Milestones that, everyone both faerie and human hoped, would ease the two groups into something more unanimous and cohesive.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Razz’s meeting with Khankora a few months prior secured the knowledge and usage of glyphs among First Ones; after the dragon had departed upon conclusion of their meeting with the village elder, Razz haphazardly pulled the blonde aside into her hut as Adora skipped back into the village later that afternoon. Mara was already there with Razz, a slice of the old woman’s famous berry pie on a plate before her, smiling smugly while Adora tried comprehending as quickly as her brain would allow the excited babble streaming from Razz’s mouth.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Handing Adora a slice of pie and shoving her into a seat at the table to explain such usage for glyphs--how they were capable of being engraved not just on weapons or tools but on beings themselves to grant magical properties--was how Razz convinced Adora to remain fascinated for hours. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Of course when Adora and Mara had realized that they’d devoured the entire pie (this was after they’d simultaneously looked to the plate at the center of the table and found only crumbs), they’d understood that such a spell of interest in magic could only be delivered by Razz herself. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was part of the reason why they loved her so much. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That, and her berry pie.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The old woman’s enthusiastic blathering had felt closer after multiple servings of pie; as if the utilization of glyphs were right within their reach and for the taking--which, in reality, it was.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And such knowledge was only the beginning. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Not much longer after that, other faeries and beings fostered as much trust as Khankora had with the First Ones, and with such exchange of information Mara had the muse she needed to create something monumental.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Sword of Origin, the exact same magic-infused weapon which lay strapped taut against her back right now--was a piece of technology undoubtedly the first of its kind, due to its ability to provide the wielder with information regarding anything that ever existed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mara, after smithing for hours upon end and slaving away over a smoldering furnace day after day until </span>
  <em>
    <span>finally </span>
  </em>
  <span>it was done, proudly announced that such a tool symbolized the unity between faeries and First Ones. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But amidst the celebration and awe of Mara’s creation, no one immediately foresaw the danger it would ultimately bring.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Such extreme possibilities were pushed afar, kept at a distance to prevent the massacre of blossoming hope and solidarity between the two groups of beings. The preoccupation of treaties and jubilee consumed the interest of Adora’s people as they mingled more often with their faerie brethren. And this, everyone knew, was a good thing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So when Razz and Mara were invited to visit the queen of Brightmoon not too long after Mara created the sword, everything felt as though it were progressing in the right direction. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora had burst into Razz’s hut as soon as she heard the news, eyes brimming with tears of happiness when she’d thrust herself at the old lady to deliver the biggest hug she could muster while Mara stood against the entryway, laughing with that dazzling smile of hers. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And then when the two older women had asked if Adora wanted to come along to accompany them to Brightmoon--the world-renowned kingdom ruled by the immortal valkyrie queen Angella--Adora had broken down into a bout of giddy sobs to prove just how happy she was.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Such an adventure felt like ages ago...Even though it had only been a few weeks since then.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was frightening just how much could change in such a short amount of time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But all the same, it only bolstered Adora’s appreciation and love for everything that she’d experienced so far. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Unfortunately she couldn’t say exactly what else lay in store for her as she and Mara, now supposedly the only First One survivors of their community, continued on their journey to meet Khankora. After more lengthy conversations with Mara along their trip, Adora gathered that the dragon knew how to best proceed after such destruction razed everything they knew. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So deep in thought Adora was, that her foot, balanced brazenly on a precarious outcropping, slipped for a brief moment during her climb. The accident sent her heart slamming against her already tight chest, but then a hand, bronzed by the sun and calloused from years of blacksmithing, reached out to her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Give me your hand. We’re almost there,” Mara grinned, and Adora took the physical assurance of safety provided to her without a second thought.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Meeting Khankora within their own realm, the mountainous confines of the canyon on the other side of the wood separating the dragon from their village, felt surreal to Adora. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Reality didn’t quite settle in until she and Mara hoisted themselves up onto a ledge that, thankfully, supported them both with enough space to stand. When the afar echo of some enormous beast grew closer and shook the earth beneath their feet, Adora felt a supportive arm lay across her taut back, slicked with sweat at the effort demanded from their climb.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mara squeezed her forearm tenderly, a silent reminder to Adora that there was nothing to be afraid of. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Khankora’s gleaming emerald moons, twin orbs bigger than Mara was tall and flecked with lustrous gold, eyed the two girls briefly before a resonating hum of approval found its way into the summer breeze. “You’re here. I am pleased that you’ve succeeded in making it this far; it’s not safe in Etheria anymore. I am deeply pained by your loss...Although you have my deepest condolences, I must strain the fact that there is no time to lose. We must hurry--follow me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The cave within the mountain’s bowels retained a chilled bite that nipped at the ends of Adora’s ears. Such frigid temperature felt welcome against her hot skin, spurring the girl on into voicing the curiosity she continued to harbor.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh, now that we’re all together could someone please explain to me what’s going on..?” Adora’s voice floated throughout the expansive tunnel as she and Mara pursued after Khankora, and the echoing of her question against the cave’s walls made Adora suddenly feel very small and very timid.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Khankora didn’t turn around, only driving deeper and deeper into the mountain. “Mara has brought you here for the reason of protecting not just the sword, but you as well. Fortunately your village elder Razz and I talked about what measures must be taken were anything to happen to your people, if trouble were to arise. After the sword was created, we’d foreseen jealousy or the rivalry of other human nations. The thought of war had not crossed our minds due to the hope that the sword would act as a physical bond between humans and faeries...Not become a slave to those who only seek power and destruction.”  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora digested the dragon’s explanation as quickly as her fretful mind could process. The act threw her into further reverie when she followed the trail of memories; they led her back to the night she and Mara had narrowly escaped the pilfering of their village and annihilation of their people.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mara told me that you and Razz chose me to remain with the sword. Is that...Is that true?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, child. You are to become the sword’s protector. It is also our wish that you--when Etheria needs you the most and when magic is near dormant--bring back peace and hope to both human and faerie kind.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>When Etheria needs me the most? That could only mean one thing...</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora was reeling now, and watching the dragon finally turn to face her and Mara within an abysmal chamber they’d entered into, failed to let wonder consume her senses rather than fear.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> “But I don’t understand--whatever this is about--my heart? Or something like that, </span>
  <em>
    <span>I don’t know</span>
  </em>
  <span>--I’m just Adora. I can’t save the world, or spread peace, or-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Adora. Do not doubt yourself. There is much in you that you don’t see, and it is only with time that such courage, selflessness, and love can be brought to light. I fear in my heart I have done you wrong without asking to entrust you with such a task, but there is no one else who can complete what must be done. You are to be Etheria’s Knight...A knight such as yourself fights for those whom they love and whom must be protected.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was a pause as Khankora’s head strained down from its towering loft to settle itself beside Adora, fixing her with a gaze so sincere she could not resist allowing their confession to seize her heart. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You must believe in yourself, Adora.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Through everything she hadn't been aware of the tears brimming at the corners of her eyes, hot and blistering and prodding for escape until they finally cast themselves across her cheeks in dissent. “Mara,” Adora could feel them now, trailing rapidly down the sides of her face, one after another. “I can’t do this. I’m not prepared.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mara reached forward, grasping Adora’s shoulders with her strong hands. “If anyone can do this it’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>you, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Adora. So please,” A thumb ran across Adora’s cheek to sever the path of a falling tear. “Don’t cry. You know Razz wouldn’t have wanted you to do that...Knowing her, there was always a reason for whatever she did. There’s a very special reason why you were chosen for this.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What does it matter?” Adora struggled with holding the rest of her disappointment back, especially when both her head and her heart were battling to seize hold of her emotions. “You’re the only one left who cares about me, and here you are: waving me off to become the savior of a world that doesn’t exist yet. A world I’m not even sure I’ll survive in. It’s like everything I’ve ever known is just--disappearing right in front of me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The older girl’s surprisingly soft fingers touched Adora’s lips, silencing any further repudiation from the blonde as she peered up with watery blue eyes. “Creating the sword was my mistake. I take full blame for it...I should have thought about the repercussions; about how things would change. And I’m sorry Adora--I’m so sorry you have to face the brunt of my mistake. But please, don’t think I’ve ever stopped caring about you just because of this. You and Razz meant </span>
  <em>
    <span>the world</span>
  </em>
  <span> to me...Having you stay with the sword is the only way I’ll know you’ll have a chance to live the life you deserve.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora didn’t respond. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“War and hate and death? That’s all that I’ve managed to bring to Etheria by creating this sword. But </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>--you deserve a better world. There’s so much more for you out there, and I want you to be able to see that. To protect it. To </span>
  <em>
    <span>experience</span>
  </em>
  <span> it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...But I don’t want to leave you.” Adora’s tears had subsided for but a second, long enough to glimpse Mara’s saddened smile through a veil of moisture.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And neither do I. But I promise you Adora--you will find someone who cares about you just as much as I do. And even if I’m not there...You’ll feel like you’re home.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mara’s visage had blurred considerably, and nodding through a new barrage of tears the older girl wiped again at Adora’s face to help ease her sobbing. She realized that swiping her thumbs across Adora’s cheeks and under her lids wasn’t quite helping as much as she had hoped it would, and so instead, ignoring the wetness of her own face as she pulled Adora into her chest for one last hug, released a soft, warm laugh.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I love you, Adora. Don’t forget me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When they pulled apart, it felt as if they were already worlds away, and all Adora wanted was to be back in the older girl’s steady arms. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But now, Adora knew this was what had to be done.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Even if she didn’t want it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I won’t, Mara. I swear.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Beside them Khankora shifted, and the dark world around them ignited by the weak glow of magical glyphs carved into the cave walls burned brighter. “Adora...It’s time.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora nodded, and filled with a farrago of emotions so strong that when Mara reached behind her back to extract the sword and place it within Adora’s trembling hands, she nearly broke down yet again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A rune filled the air in front of her when she turned back to Khankora, the sword finally within her grasp; magic hissed as unrecognized symbols flashed while revolving frantically, faster and faster the longer Adora stared. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Pass through the rune, child. It is a protective enchantment which will keep you safe until it is time for you to return.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora stepped forward, white-knuckled fingers wrapped around the sword’s hilt so tightly she couldn’t feel her hands.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A few paces away from the rune, she turned around. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mara smiled fondly back at her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>All at once Adora felt every ounce of warmth within her body swell from the tips of her toes all the way up to the very top of her head, filling her with a sensation so melancholic it was almost physically painful.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Goodbye, Mara.” The countless layers of emotion in her shaky voice lay everything bare, and with the announcement of her departure, tore her eyes from her dear friend’s tender gaze for the final time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora stepped through the rune, an unknown source of blinding light swallowing her consciousness.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Adora woke with a start, her lungs heaving as if she’d just finished running from one end of the forest to the other. She was about to shout Catra’s name when she felt something soft within her hand, and when fingers intertwined themselves further with her own the panic in Adora’s chest lifted. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Catra,” Adora breathed out with a relieved smile, finding the other girl’s eyes gleaming back at her within a cave that now felt more familiar than before. “You’re here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A nervous grin tugged at the corner of Catra’s lips as she used her free hand to smooth back a few spikes along her mane, and while sidling up closer to Adora realized she found the blonde’s excited smile rather enjoyable. “Of course I am, dummy.” She let out a short laugh, following up with one of her usual snarky comments. “You asked me to stay...So I did.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The smile on Adora’s face wavered for a moment, though she continued gathering her thoughts as the heavy rustling of Khankora’s gigantic body maneuvered itself around them. The dragon didn’t disturb the inquiring conversation Adora was wishing to instigate with Catra, and that she was extremely grateful for. She needed a little time to digest everything, and to make sure Catra had been able to see it too. “So that means you saw it too, right..? Everything Khankora showed us?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Amongst the glyphs in the walls scattering their benign, phosphorescent light, Adora watched intently as Catra nodded in response, her heartbeat picking up in speed at the meaning behind such a gesture. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, I did.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was another sound. It was the rustling of Double Trouble, Queen Angella, and the others somewhere behind them; but the thought of her new Brightmoon friends stirring from their slumber held no importance to Adora as of this moment. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m so </span>
  <em>
    <span>so</span>
  </em>
  <span> sorry, Adora...After seeing everything it just makes me feel even worse for how I’ve treated you recently. I had no idea that your people--</span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>--experienced all of that destruction firsthand. You’ve lost everyone you cared about.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At this Adora laughed, and shocked by such an unanticipated response Catra’s brows careened together while her ears flattened against the back of her head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wh-Why are you laughing?! I thought you’d be heartbroken! You clearly were, from your memories!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A warm hand on Catra’s cheek immediately shut her up, and even though she couldn’t register all the crazy things her body was doing at the moment, only barely managed to keep herself from astral projecting at Adora’s touch.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Strangely enough, she felt the palm against her face more than welcome.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m laughing because you’re wrong--I didn’t lose everyone I cared about.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What do you mean..?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I didn’t lose you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When her brain finally deciphered the entirety of the sparkling blue eyes shining back at her, the truth in the sentence, and the frantic beating of her own heart, Catra leaned in. Her movements, counterintuitive to excitement she felt, were slow, parlous; as if frightened she were going to scare away Adora with any sudden movement.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And so, as one would imagine, it pleased her when Adora made no such attempt to retreat...And Catra, for once entirely at peace with the feelings fluttering away like a maelstrom of butterflies within her chest, closed the distance between herself and Adora with a kiss. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>again, sorry for the delay but i hope the wait was worth it! i would be more than happy to answer any questions, comments, or whatever you wanna send to me through the review box. &lt;3 </p>
<p>thank you to all of you who have read up until now, and a special thanks to those of you who leave such kind thoughts!! i love you all, and i wouldn't be here without you :) also thank you to my beta revenantearp for all of your support &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Seventeen</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>you thought it was gonna be all rainbows and butterflies, didntcha? ;)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Nothing much could be done about the rousing blush spreading across Catra’s cheeks, especially when she heard a familiar voice, catty and playful, waft into her ears to deliver a very embarrassing congratulations upon finally sharing her feelings with Adora.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Double Trouble!” Adora’s smile eased the nervous beating of Catra’s rabbit-like heart, and even managed a crooked grin when the hobgoblin hopped onto the blonde’s shoulder and winked at the two of them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Honestly</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Double Trouble tossed a lock of flaxen hair over their shoulder, their pearly fangs glinting between the slightly parted lips of an annoyingly wide smirk. “I wasn’t sure when you two were going to get together, considering how much flippant incertitude has been surrounding every interaction.” Their eyes, bright and an electrifying green, punctured Catra’s already wilting ego; like they were specifically talking to her. “I’m just so glad we finally have some closure--what a wonderful sight to wake up to. The droning hesitance was becoming slightly annoying, if I’m being completely honest.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Their happy sigh ignited another fire across Catra’s cheeks, and when more murmuring filtered into her brain Catra barely had just enough time to process that it was none other than Goat Boy and Sparkles squealing with surprise and jubilation; she was in no place to prepare herself for their overly-friendly attack. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I am so </span>
  <em>
    <span>so </span>
  </em>
  <span>happy for you both!” Bow rubbed his face up against the side of Catra’s cheek, and the mage swore he was planting kisses in her unruly mane as she glimpsed Adora being strangled by Glimmer in a similar manner. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I didn’t know you two were a thing, but if you are you have all of my support! Glimmer and I will be there to make you guys a wedding cake if you ever need one; we’ve been practicing our baking for a while,” Bow chuckled while cradling Catra’s burning face closer to himself, the girl between his grasp clawing at the air in front of her aimlessly for some sort of means of escape--</span>
  <em>
    <span>any </span>
  </em>
  <span>means of escape.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let me go please?!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The sound of Adora laughing while she struggled soothed the incoming panic flurrying within her chest, and when Catra’s panicked eyes flew to the other girl’s face while Glimmer hugged the blonde into her sternum, a new burst of warmth filled her being. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re practically certified patissiers by now!” Glimmer crowed, her hands still wrapped tightly around Adora’s shoulders while she and Bow collectively imagined the upcoming scene with sparkling eyes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bow patted Catra’s head fondly, but she hardly noticed it; her attention was solely on Adora’s bright blue eyes staring fondly at her, and she knew the other girl wasn’t listening to the frivolous conversation either. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>I’m </span>
  </em>
  <span>almost the certified patissier. You could use a bit more practice. Remember the angel cake you burnt last time? It was basically a brick.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Glimmer stuck out her tongue, ready to shoot back a snarky yet weak retort when the fluorescent pink of Queen Angella’s magic crackled within her palms defensively, and the chattering enervated into stifled silence.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora looked up, finding it hard to tear herself away from Catra’s mesmerizing smirk and mismatched eyes, and realized that Queen Angella’s agitation was triggered by the two beings standing on opposite sides of them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Khankora on one end, and Huntara on the other. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh no--</span>
  </em>
  <span> Jumping to her feet and successfully shedding off the layer that was Princess Glimmer, Adora extended a tense hand in the queen’s direction. “It’s okay! Khankora is our friend; they won’t hurt us.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angella blinked once, as if to make sure she’d heard right, then, blinked again, realizing that she hadn't misheard anything in the slightest. “Khankora. The dragon?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If it weren’t for the towering beast hunkered down behind her, Adora would have been doing the best she could to hide her quaking upon taking in the sight of the ripped orc standing before them. Without her sword she didn’t stand a chance now against the enemy, but if Khankora was here and on their side, there shouldn’t be anything to worry about. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Khankora nodded only once, their monstrous head bobbing up and down to confirm the knowledge Adora had shared. “Yes. I do not think we’ve had the pleasure of meeting before, Queen Angella. I have spent many years here within this cave after the annihilation of the First Ones. Before Adora’s return, I took it upon myself to ensure the safety of both magical beings and their allies...Recruiting others to help, especially within this canyon, has been beneficial in keeping my journeys limited. With the dwindling of magic in Etheria also came the more recent fear of those who wield an immense amount of it; fear of such beings like myself.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was obvious by the queen’s expression that she’d heard of Khankora before, and finding the fear that had once ruminated within her heart now disintegrating with the dragon’s distillation of truth, whipped her head instead to Huntara’s position. The compacted plumes of rose-colored magic hovered steadily above her open palms, Angella ready to lob her gathered ammunition if needed in the blink of an eye.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And </span>
  <em>
    <span>I’m </span>
  </em>
  <span>one of the recruits,” Huntara spread her arms wide egotistically, a devilish grin winding across her face while the symbols swirling around her arms glowed, as if boosted by the orc’s confidence. “When Khankora sensed the sword nearby we knew we had to bring you here. So I went out to get the weapon, knowing you and your cute little friends would follow after,” Huntara chuckled, nodding in Adora’s direction. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Something in Adora’s mind clicked. “Those markings on your arms-” The characters engraved deep into the sides of the cave walls seemed to hum, their tamed magic seeping through in gossamer rays of white-gold that were almost otherworldly. “They’re glyphs, aren’t they? It’s how you were able to defeat us back there in the canyon.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Flexing two perfectly toned arms Huntara sent a wink Adora’s way, and the girl fought back what she could of the sneaky blush invading her cheeks. “You’re sharper than you look. Orcs don’t usually have this kind of power, but Khankora was grateful enough to share with me how to use glyphs. So now I help them out with whatever they need; whether it’s disrupting ambushing bandits down in the canyon, or bringing in feisty blondes and their friends for a visit.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The tense atmosphere settled, just enough for everyone to not feel like their life was still in danger. After a few awkward moments of Huntara beaming at Adora and Catra’s party the orc stuttered in though, releasing a bout of spontaneous, booming laughter. The muscles along her arms bulged as she reached behind her back, hand brushing against the threaded patchwork of skins that covered her torso, and produced the sword.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“My bad! I almost forgot this belonged to you. Khankora asked me to retrieve it while you were asleep. Hopefully there’s no hard feelings.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora stood up to take the sword from the orc, and feeling the weight of the weapon within her hand--the way the quillons swerved outward in an angelic depiction of wings as they bloomed out of the gem in the middle, and the lengthy, razor-sharp edges that hailed to the superior craftsmanship of Mara--it all summoned a sense of fidelity she hadn't known before. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Like the sword truly did belong to her, and now she knew what she needed to do with it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No hard feelings,” Adora snickered, only realizing there lay a cocky grin on her face when Catra released herself from Bow’s clutches and poked her cheek negligently, the ruthless point of a claw grazing her skin. “Ow, what was that for?!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You had something gross on your face.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The playfulness in her voice betrayed any ill-intent Adora may have thought Catra harbored, and now distracted once more by the bright eyes before her, Adora’s body gravitated on its own in Catra’s direction. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Slipping her hand into the mage’s own felt natural now, and when Catra didn’t wretch her hand away or glare daggers in her direction, giddiness took flight within Adora’s chest, threatening to lift her off of her feet and into the air. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As it was only within their nature, Glimmer and Bow couldn’t resist fawning over Catra and Adora yet again; at this point Catra was continually nervous about their reactions to any physical displays of affection that Adora desired to instigate, even more so than the teasing warbles that sounded over her shoulder by her goblin familiar. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And so another round of conversation about all that had happened ensued, this time in a more comfortable manner as Huntara prepared a simple but hearty meal of roasted deer at the mouth of the cave. It was a good point for their converging parties to initiate a colloquy; with the incentive of a warm fire and food, having everyone settle down for a few hours was an unanimous agreement. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Khankora, eternally kind and understanding, had listened intently to the rest of the plans Adora and Catra’s group intended to follow, and upon hearing that they would be traveling back to Brightmoon to aid the king, insisted on taking them there.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As one could imagine, Adora and everyone else had been absolutely floored by the offer to ride on the dragon, especially after hearing about how they’d played such a vital role within Adora’s life earlier and the girl had vouched for their pivotal assistance progressing First One culture.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Well...Nearly everyone was excited about the trip.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Everyone except for Catra.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So the following morning, when everyone had mounted the towering beast: Queen Angella first, followed by Glimmer, Bow, Adora, and lastly Catra herself, she’d taken one final, reticent look at Huntara below them, who somehow appeared as large as field pixie from their current height. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With her arms snaked around Adora’s waist (her only lifeline--if she somehow got blown off the dragon by a surly gust of wind, she hoped Adora would be able to anchor her back down via pure muscle) and her eyes squeezed shut after pinching Huntara out of her vision, the deafening roar of Khankora’s wings distorting the air tornadoed around them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Double Trouble was hunkered down somewhere beneath her shirt, having forgone the idea of nestled within the hood of her cloak to preserve their life. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was only a slight relief that someone else beside Catra also had similar regrets about their mode of transportation.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The swirling, horrific thoughts of sliding off of the dragon’s scales to descend down to the earth in one swift, vertical movement caused Catra to squeeze Adora’s middle tighter, and Catra almost wished she hadn't eaten so much the night before. Her stomach was starting to convulse, but the meal scrambling around in her gut for a means of escape finally abated in its terrorizing nature when Khankora cut through the clouds and settled into a liquid glide.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The beating of wings wrestling with the atmosphere had abated, only sounding every now and then when a little lift was needed if their height wavered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra’s ears melded against her head when she felt the muscles of the back she was currently face-planting into tighten. They twisted beneath Adora’s skin as the blonde turned slightly to look at the other girl burying herself in her crimson jacket. Catra made sure, even with her eyes refusing to open for any reason at all, to keep a safe distance away from the sword’s blade settled between them--if she managed to survive the flight, there was also the hopeful desire to not die by impaling herself with the weapon.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So many dangerous things to avoid...It was exhausting.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you alright, Catra?” There was a lilt in her voice, the words carried gracefully over the wind as it whipped through the blonde’s hair. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was colder up here above the clouds; the gibberish of Glimmer and Bow admiring what fragments of the world lay below only suffused more discomfort, as Adora had not quite gotten used to their perpetual chittering. It wasn’t unwelcome, but it was new--</span>
  <em>
    <span>different</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and she knew Catra was having a difficult time adjusting.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra ground her face against Adora’s jacket back and forth, emulating the gesture of a negative head shake without actually responding verbally. </span>
  <em>
    <span>No, I’m not okay! This is terrifying and I hate it and we could probably die at any moment and I just wanna be back on the ground-</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p><span>A soft giggle, one that didn’t make Catra think that Adora was making fun of her but rather the opposite--it was more of a gentle nudge--amiably urged Catra to keep her arms tethered around Adora’s waist. “It’s okay to be scared. I’m kind of scared too...But as long as we’re together nothing really bad can happen, right?”</span><span><br/></span> <span>Another burst of warmth exploded within Catra. Ever since the night before, when she’d closed the distance between herself and the girl in her grasp by bestowing a kiss, it’d felt as though a sporadic firework show was constantly occurring. Every single one of Adora’s touches, every single one of her words spoken for Catra and Catra alone...The gestures were all ruthless, unceasing in their detonation and the sparks they provoked, yet Catra loved it. </span></p>
<p>
  <span>Some part of Adora--her honesty and adoration, so selflessly announced as she held out her heart between open hands for Catra to take more than once--had made it through last night, after sharing her memories within Khankora’s lair. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>For the rest of the ride to Brightmoon, Catra found herself smiling against Adora’s back, and allowed the subtle heartbeat stirring through Adora’s jacket to deliver her an irreplaceable sense of comfort.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>“Welcome to Brightmoon!” Glimmer slid off of Khankora’s back ceremoniously, displaying much more grace than Catra thought was possible considering she was Brightmoon’s resident princess. If anything, she’d assumed the supercilious personality was something granted at birth for anyone with a crown on their head, and anything having to do with the outdoors would be rather loathsome. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mostly, Catra was just waiting for the right moment to vanquish Glimmer’s endless supply of friendliness with some minor hiccup. She still wasn’t sure if the girl with the small-ish valkyrie wings was entirely worthy of her or Adora’s time. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Queen Angella gracefully flittered down to the ground with a few flaps of her wings after Glimmer had detached herself to announce their grand entrance, and Bow skidded down the dragon’s back effortlessly, beckoning with an over-ecstatic smile for Adora, Catra, and Double Trouble to follow. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s safe to come down you guys!” Bow’s hooves were planted firmly in the grass, and Catra bit back a spurring slur of jealous words as she peeped at him through slitted eyelids. His splendid balance betrayed the fact that he’d been sitting on top of a dragon for the past few hours after a rollicking adventure through the skies.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Double Trouble burrowed out of Catra’s shirt, popping out like a flower from snow in the early stages of spring. “We’re here? Thank the gods, I haven’t seen the sun for ages...Also it was getting a bit stuffy in there.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra wanted to flick the little creature off of her shoulder like she would a bothersome bug, but when Adora laughed all poor intentions vanished. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Woohoo!” Adora’s giggling was flung behind the three of them as she took Catra’s hand, maneuvering her body weight over Khankora’s side, and forced the three of them to plummet down to the grass.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A startled shriek from Catra’s dry throat almost drowned out Adora’s chuckling, and when the two of them went tumbling onto the ground in a writhe of flailing limbs and tangled clothing, it was almost a blessing when the mage found Adora towering over her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With her arms propping herself up above Catra in an accidentally(?) flirtatious manner, the grin on Adora’s face refused to abate; subsequently, it also distracted the girl below from a possible heart attack incited by the sporadic tussle (and even from the thought that Double Trouble was currently being smothered to death). </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Whoops, haha--sorry! Just got a bit excited. We’re finally in Brightmoon!” Adora began to lift herself from the ground and away from Catra, the grass between her fingers feeling prickly and wet with morning dew as she was now hyper-aware of their surroundings and arbitrary position. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I-It’s okay.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The strenuous echoing of blood thrumming in her ears blocked any further attempt Catra wanted to make from hindering Adora’s attempt to stand, but when Khankora’s thundering voice resounded through the edge of the wood, she reluctantly forced herself back to reality.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If there is anything else I can do, please do not hesitate to ask; you know where to find me. May the spirits be with you, guiding your steps and filling you with courage,” they motioned with their head toward Adora, who was now busy helping a dumbstruck Catra to her feet. “You are the answer Etheria needs, Adora. Believe in your worth--you are here for a reason.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra watched, eyes filled with wonder as Adora stood beside her and nodded, the other girl somehow a little taller and more confident than before. It was strange yet heartwarming, how Adora’d changed over such the short amount of time that Catra had known her...Thoughts collected inside of her mind in remembrance of this realization she’d familiarized herself with, the day she and Adora had stumbled upon the forgotten First Ones’ ruins in the woods. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And maybe, the mage thought, she’d changed too.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There were a few more parting exchanges, melancholic but tender, shared between the dragon and Adora; perhaps, Catra thought, it was because the creature was the only being of her personal past that physically existed, one who, despite the hundreds of years since their last encounter, still remained hopeful of the future. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They stood at the edge of the forest until Khankora had lifted themself high up into the air thousands of feet above them, and finally the large beast, whom Catra could have sworn was nearly as long as the stretches of her academy’s stone walls, retreated into an expanse of thick clouds. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>All was silent for a moment, as if when the dragon had departed they’d also siphoned whatever excitement for their journey the party contained, leaving Catra, Adora, and the others with a graveness that hovered over Brightmoon like an eternal dusk.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“There isn’t any time to lose,” Angella stepped forward to place a hand on Adora’s shoulder, the sudden but soft movement of the queen sending a slightly startled jolt through the blonde. “Please, if you’d be so kind Adora--the king is in need of you.” The deep magenta of her eyes, unnatural in a way that suited only an immortal being, pried for Adora’s attention. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Brightmoon castle, with its sparkling towers that cut through the air and scenery of the surrounding forest as smoothly as a heated knife and as majestically as faceted diamonds would, rested not too far away in the distance, and Adora nodded in agreement. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This was why she was here. The king needed her help. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angella took to a brisk walking pace, something that Adora wondered was even possible considering all of the hectic surprises that had been tossed at them within the last day; she did her best to keep a fair distance behind as her boots scuffed along the ground. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Glimmer and Bow hung around a few minutes at either of Angella’s sides like flitting birds, twisting and turning in their excitement before realizing that the queen had no interest in returning such amused gestures. Soon they sunk back to settle beside Adora and Catra, finding the slightly confused ambience around the latter two in need of explanation. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry about my mom. She’s just really worried about my dad...But really, we’re super thankful that you’re here to help, honestly,” Glimmer began, and Catra fought herself from gagging at the saccharine-coated apology, instead choosing to busy herself by stuffing her hands into her pockets and fiddle with some of the loose coins she still retained. At various points along the way, to nobody’s surprise, the series of erratic events had caused her to lose a majority of the belongings she’d so carefully guarded at the start. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not sure if I’ll be able to help...I don’t know how to control the sword’s magic yet, but I’ve been able to heal with it before. Just once,” Catra heard Adora utter back modestly, and wondered half-heartedly if she’d elaborate on the matter and reveal that it was Catra she’d used her sword’s magic on in the past.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The sound of someone slapping Adora on the back tore through the conversation, and the girl beside Catra stumbled forward, nearly tripping on her own feet as she tried regaining her balance. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s totally fine! If there’s anyone who knows anything about utilizing magic powers, it’s Glimmer’s mom. And her Aunt Casta is pretty good at magic too! She’s the queen of the neighboring kingdom Mystacor, which is north of here. They’ll be able to help you, and the king will probably be better in no time!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra scoffed, her interest piqued by such a confident claim delivered by Bow, and as they neared the castle she found her attention oscillating between the sprouting number of cottages and the conversation ensuing between Adora and the two Brightmoon youths. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ohhh, did I hear someone scoff?” Glimmer made her way around Adora’s shoulders to match stride with Catra on the blonde’s left, and Catra’s arms wound themselves across her chest to keep herself from “accidentally” bumping into the princess.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mom’s and Auntie’s magic are no joke. My dad is just as amazing too; he’s a really talented sorcerer. I don’t mean to brag, but magic kind of runs in the family.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, whatever Sparkles. Right now I’m not too sure about that--from what I’ve seen, you don’t seem to have any ability to throw around some spells, let alone </span>
  <em>
    <span>fly</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Catra sniggered with an unapologetic roll of her eyes, quite enjoying the way the shorter, pink-haired girl’s wings flapped angrily while her face contorted into an aggressive pout. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Guys, guys,” Bow’s urgently inserted himself between Catra and Glimmer by worming past their shoulders, severing the electricity sizzling within their vicious eye contact. “No need to fight! I’m sure everyone is a great mage--we could all use a little extra practice--Catra, you’re pretty good at magic too, from what Adora told us. Remember, Glimmer?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Heat buzzed in Catra’s cheeks, starting from within her chest and simmering up higher and higher until she felt as if the tips of her ears held the daintiest of flames. Adora was babbling nervously at this point, half of confirming adoration and praise for Catra’s renowned magic, and the other half for another reason new to the both of them--watching Adora gush embarrassedly, Catra decided, was her new favorite hobby.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This novelty, suffusing her senses as quickly as it had arrived with Glimmer’s and Bow’s confabulation (with the occasional histrionic comment from Double Trouble on Catra’s shoulder), managed to occupy a majority of the mage’s mind for the remainder of their trip through Brightmoon’s town. The bustling of carts and vendors was much more relaxed here in comparison to the village where she and Adora had stopped by earlier on in their journey. Citizens, as respectful and as kind as the renowned residents Brightmoon was known for, sidestepped and bowed when Angella glided into their presence. All of the surprised gasps and shy inquiries aimed at the queen were handled swiftly and expertly, allowing none of the city’s residents to be told more than what was necessary. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Upon reaching the city gates Catra realized that word must have spread faster than they’d traveled; an elven woman in a deep purple robe with her raven hair knotted into a tight bun approached them hurriedly, arms outstretched in a disbelieving manner. The halo-like crown levitating around her head jostled up and down ever so slightly as she flew across the path, causing Catra to think it might suddenly drift away.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Angella! Glimmer! Bow! You’re back--I’m so glad you’re safe!” After throwing herself around the queen to bestow her with a nearly bone-crushing hug, the woman pulled finally away, only to cast a skeptical glance at Glimmer and Bow for a long moment with narrowed, sinister eyes. “You two! Why, for the spirits’ sake, did you think even for a single second that it was fine to leave and follow after Angella?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Relax, Auntie Casta,” Glimmer waved a hand at the woman, who looked about ready to hug Glimmer but not show as much mercy as she had to the princess’ mother. “Mom said Bow and I could go with her! It all worked out in the end, and we found the sword’s protector without too much of a hassle,” she was smirking now, and with a flourish of her gloved hand placed an elbow on Bow’s shoulder while the faun sheepishly grinned up at Castaspella. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bow looked like he was was about to refute something within Glimmer’s claim when Castaspella’s eyes fell on Adora to study her briefly; the excruciating intrusion of her dark gaze made Adora feel as if an anvil had been dropped into her arms, weighing her down drastically.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“This is the protector?” A nearly invisible smile, crooked but hinting at the hope of a long-awaited answer, tilted the lips of Mystacor’s queen, but before either Adora or Catra could reinforce the question with an answer Angella stepped forward. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How is he?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The light within Castaspella’s eyes faded as Angella changed the subject. “Not good. He doesn’t seem to have much time left...Ever since you left his condition has worsened. You must come see him; quickly,” Castaspella ushered Angella past her, and the queen moved without haste in the direction of the gates that separated the rest of Brightmoon from the castle while the rest followed. Hushed whispers and nervous glances exchanged between Adora and the others as Angella and Castaspella barreled past (as regally as one could imagine) the remaining Brightmoon citizens, then the castle gate guards, and then everyone else who they encountered on the other side of the stone walls. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The world beyond the castle walls seemed to rush by as quickly as the fleeted feet of the queen’s servants; they greeted her with urgent but warm salutations, hovering by her side for brisk intermissions to update her on the king’s state as they moved through the exquisite halls. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra could not deny that the queen’s home was astoundingly beautiful; its myriad of heavy wooden doors that stood along the hallways like sedentary guardians and arching windows that involved much of the outdoors with their broad exposure of clear and colored glass bolstered that fact. But there seemed to be, within her heart, an apprehensive weariness that resurfaced what depressing memories of her old academy lay buried. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Each step sent a shiver down her spine; such urgency to attend to the king was something she understood, but knowing every single one of these obnoxious royals expected Adora to heal him? It felt like she was being forced to selflessly share, no questions asked, with the world someone--the person she now held feelings for--and expect everything to be the same if the wishful plan to heal King Micah succeeded.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And knowing that Adora was entirely capable of doing so, especially considering her natural inclination to help nearly everyone she encountered, made Catra even more upset.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When a pair of guards, their fingers locked onto the handles of an incredibly large set of wooden doors, pulled away to create a partition for Queen Angella and the others to enter, Catra knew they’d arrived at the king’s chambers. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Though Angella, Castaspella, Glimmer, and Bow all hustled over to the king’s bedside, Catra couldn’t help but slink back a little, and finding Adora moving in similar sluggish movements, tethered her hand around the blonde’s wrist. Adora’s worried blue eyes switched from their attention on the king in bed for a brief moment, just long enough to infer Catra’s current state of being, and understanding that the mage didn’t feel comfortable approaching further remained by her friend’s side. They stood together, apprehensive and chary to the point where their only movements consisted of the flitting of their gazes from one member of the royal family to another. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Castaspella and Angella were murmuring to each other, and although Catra could literally feel the controlled strain in Adora’s wrist as the blonde’s veins protruded out of her skin with the clenching of white-knuckled fists, she didn’t want to let Adora go. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Obviously others had conflicting plans with Catra’s desire.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Adora, come here child.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Without Adora there in her grasp, Catra’s hands felt colder than she assumed they’d be; missing the warmth, she tiptoed forward. Despite wanting to be closer to Adora she wavered by the end of the bed, her vision locked onto the man with ragged breathing lying in the midst of rich purple sheets and satin pillows. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The tips of his fingers seemed to have been dipped in black, almost as if someone had taken his unconscious body and sunk his limp digits into ink--but the way the dark tendrils continued to crawl up his burly arms felt much too morbid to be such a pesky trick. The same black veins that reached up his biceps had crept under his clothes, winding themselves around his neck and up into the creases of his pale face, dipping the deepest into his eye sockets.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> To Catra, it reminded her of Shadow Weaver’s magic. Whoever had done this--whatever </span>
  <em>
    <span>this</span>
  </em>
  <span> was--appeared to have been skilled in the black arts.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This was no ordinary magic. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hold your sword, Adora.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Everyone’s eyes were on the blonde, watching as she extracted the weapon from behind her back among the belt buckle that normally kept it in place. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra could only stare as Adora steadied her sword between shaking hands, the blonde attempting to keep whatever nervousness she harbored at bay in front of the queen and the others, and when Angella asked for Adora to extend the blade over the king Adora obeyed without rebuttal. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dread roiled within Catra’s gut. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Now you’ll need to summon its power. Concentrate on willing hope and the desire to heal, and channel these feelings into your hands...The sword will sense this, and take care of the rest.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora met Catra’s eyes for a second, a second long enough to communicate exactly what the other girl had been thinking after hearing Angella’s words. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Those must have been the kind of thoughts she had when she healed me...When I almost didn’t believe that she could save me. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Their thoughts were mutual, and although unbeknownst to Catra, meeting the mage’s concerned, mismatched eyes had given Adora the strength she needed. She remembered how she had felt when Catra was lying before her, a horrid wound embedded in the other girl’s waist from unforgiving wolf jaws, and how crimson-stained her hands had been.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And unbeknownst to Adora--although Catra had doubted her friend’s ability to wield magic or heal within that previous situation, now Catra held no fear that Adora wouldn’t be able to provoke such a miracle again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It took a few moments, but when the blade began to hum as if it were alive, activating once again after a prolonged period of rest, magic bled into the air between Adora and the king. Such magic needed no direction, no command; brilliant, shimmering ribbons crept away from her trembling hands, wafting through the space that separated her from the bedridden man, and began gently settling on King Micah until his entire body was swathed in shining light. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora--with her golden hair spread behind her lazily at such close proximity to immense magic, crystal blue eyes wide in astonishment, and mouth slightly agape as she watched the sword complete its task--had never looked so beautiful to Catra.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She could have stood there, hypnotized by Adora’s sudden ethereal majesty, for the rest of eternity without necessity of anything, were it not for the sudden gasp that annunciated itself throughout the room as the magic began to curl away, back into the sword within Adora’s grasp.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>King Michah’s eyes shot open, and another deep inhale filled his lungs with air. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Dad!</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Glimmer’s overjoyed shout destroyed whatever bated breaths and silence had settled over the individuals within the room, and as she threw herself at the man blinking away sleep, a sense of normalcy and elation was restored. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora stepped aside without thinking, allowing the rest of the king’s family to embrace him with loving arms, and she noticed that as he tried (albeit with some struggle) to encompass his wife, daughter, and sister at the same time, the darkness once eating at him had entirely dissolved. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The confident smile on Adora’s face fell into something more tender, and when Glimmer pulled out from the family group hug to call over Bow and the blonde, Adora hesitated for a moment until the princess frowned benignly and pulled her into the mess with a forceful tug. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Throughout all this, Catra remained by the end of the bed, feeling much farther away than she really was.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>heyo, sorry it's been a little while. i hope you've all been doing well, and that you continue to take care as times are hard rn. as always: if you have time and would like to leave a question/comment, please do so! i appreciate and reply to any and all thoughts :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Eighteen</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>new discoveries in brightmoon :D</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After Queen Angella and her family had spent some quality time gathering what they could from King Micah, all the while an exhausted but relieved smile on his face showing nothing but kindness, Castaspella ordered a couple of the castle’s healers to remain by the king’s side and allow him to rest. </p><p>Castaspella and Angella had taken the lead walking back down the glittering halls at a pace that wasn’t as frantic as before, but rather somewhat more relaxed; between them, as Catra slinked behind Adora and her new rivals (because that’s what she considered them now), she could make out hushed whispering floating back and forth between the two women. If anything, it was rather disconcerting, and sending a glance of uncertainty Double Trouble’s way, Catra decided to tuck away the hint of skepticism she’d picked up into one of the safer recesses of her mind.</p><p>Adora had been the most excited of them all to enter the dining hall; with its ornate high ceilings that seemed to stretch for an eternity and glowing, crystalline chandeliers, she’d rushed into the room right as Glimmer had flung the wooden doors open, paralyzed in awe of such a beautiful sight. It was a spacious room to say the least, and the long wooden table that ran across a modest amount of the hall was already lined with mouth-watering food that made everyone realize just how empty their stomachs were. </p><p>If Catra hadn't been standing at the back of their little party, she surely would have been bulldozed by Glimmer and Bow, who were heaving the immobilized Adora across the way to plop her into one of the many carved chairs lining the table.</p><p>Finding everyone else making themselves at home for this strange mid-morning meal (Bow was affectionately calling “brunch”?), Catra slowly pulled out a chair of her own beside Glimmer to take a seat. Eyeing what she knew was perfectly prepared food warily, she felt her heart sink as Adora’s attention was stolen yet again by the Brightmoon princess and the girl’s faun friend.</p><p>Catra had wanted to sit next to Adora. </p><p>And so the morning dragged on mercilessly. </p><p>Throughout the meal she’d found herself making faces at the savory assortment of sausage and eggs that someone, at some point, had bothered to serve her. It was stupid, she knew that much--feeling so protective over and so obsessive about someone. At least that’s what her brain told her, but it seemed as though her heart and Double Trouble’s tender comforts wafting every so often into her ear were saying something different. </p><p>After nearly four glasses of milk and as much as her stomach could hold of the hearty meal, she’d gathered up enough resolve to follow Adora and the others when Glimmer said she’d wanted to show Adora around the castle. Queen Angella and Castaspella had been a bit reluctant to let them go, but Glimmer’s incessant persistence ultimately only caused the two women to roll their eyes and chuckle, coming to the partnered conclusion that they’d lost this round.</p><p>If anything, Glimmer and Bow had to have been the best tag-team duo around when it came to tours of Brightmoon castle, Catra realized. Unsurprisingly they were very spontaneous in their courteous visible expedition, and in a way that meshed quite well.</p><p>And this, Catra thought to herself guilefully as she felt a petty laugh from Double Trouble tickle her ear, she could use to her advantage. </p><p>The five of them, impressively, had tackled nearly two floors of the castle (this included all the wings on each floor). When Bow halted his impressive monologue about the castle library, it allowed Glimmer the opportunity to add some hilarity to the dialogue by reminiscing on some stupid but capricious stunt the two of them had pulled at some point in the exact location.</p><p>“-and then Bow and I had to reshelve<em> all </em> the books that’d fallen for the next three weeks! Can you believe that? I mean, it wasn’t the librarian’s choice--my mom was the one who told us we had to do it--but <em> still! </em>”</p><p>Catra’s ear flicked with annoyance, something she was hoping she wasn’t failing too miserably at showing, and upon crossing her arms thought it appropriate to incite a bribe. It was the first step of the plan she was concocting, after all. “So are we gonna check out the library or what?”</p><p>Bow blinked a couple of times. “You like to read? No offense, but I didn’t take you as someone who was interested in books…”</p><p>If she hadn't had heard Adora’s voice pick up at the somehow inexplicably rude interrogation, Catra was sure she would have growled at the boy standing between her and the library entrance. </p><p>“I’d like to go inside the library too.” </p><p>Catra waited for Bow or Glimmer to reply, to laugh at the absurdity of Adora’s honest desire to witness some kind of mysterious, scholarly miracle, but nothing of the sort ensued, thankfully. </p><p>Rather, the two just shrugged and heaved open the doors without another word. As soon as Catra laid eyes on the countless rows of bookshelves lined with hardcovers, scrolls, and leather-bound masterpieces that towered far above their heads, she knew this was the perfect place to get lost. </p><p>And by getting lost, there were a number of ways she was interested in falling prey to. Especially if Adora was there with her...It wouldn’t be like last time, where she’d lugged the other girl through the dark academy library, hoping for just a few moments of solace before they were found by Lonnie and the others. </p><p>No, this time it’d be different. </p><p>Her confidence inched back upward from the depths of her abdomen like the bubbling excitement of a forest brook, and as Glimmer closed the doors behind them, Catra knew it was time for step two. “So you wanna show us where the accident happened? I bet Bow’s outline is actually pressed into the ground after all those books fell on him.”</p><p>The faun gazed up at the hundreds upon hundreds of books lining the shelves before them and sighed wistfully (or fearfully, either one of those--Catra couldn’t really tell). “I can remember the weight of them on top of me just like it was yesterday…”</p><p>“That’s probably not a good thing, right?” Adora was eyeing Bow warily, and Catra struggled keeping her trembling hands from grabbing onto the blonde’s wrist to drag her away somewhere where Glimmer and Bow weren’t around. </p><p>It wasn’t the time yet. Just a bit longer.</p><p>Glimmer blew a raspberry through her lips, one that quickly evolved into an amused chuckle. “Oh Bow, don’t be so dramatic! You were only out for a couple of minutes. Was it really that bad?”</p><p>“I saw a light, Glimmer, a <em> light!” </em> He pulled his hands into the air and gestured some air quotes to further the intensity of his traumatic experience. <em> “ </em>I wasn’t just ‘out’, like you call it! I think I almost died...”</p><p>“Pshhh, okay okay--I mean you’re still here, so it couldn’t have been that bad,” Glimmer’s back was to her best friend again, after not having batted an eyelash at the confession of him having nearly lost his life so many years ago. She then waved a hand at Adora and the others behind her, and Catra waited for the princess to tangle herself in another one-sided debate with Bow on the matter before she enacted the rest of her scheme. </p><p>When Catra wrapped her fingers gently around Adora’s wrist, the blonde fully engrossed in the beauty that was the Brightmoon castle library, the mage could not resist a pleased smile as Adora’s bright blue eyes finally shot her way. </p><p>Adora’s mouth parted for a split second, as if she were about to ask what it was that Catra was up to, but before she could ask anything Catra pressed a warm finger to her lips, igniting a burst of warmth across Adora’s cheeks. </p><p>“Shhh--come with me.”</p><p>Every thought concerning Glimmer and Bow was forgotten. For now, Adora wondered where it was Catra wanted to take her, and what exactly the two of them planned on doing after their split from the rest of their group. </p><p><em> She’s not normally this... </em> <b> <em>forward</em> </b> <em> , </em> Adora thought to herself, watching as Catra continued leading her through the maze of bookshelves with a drive that she could not decipher the origin of. It was strange but not unwelcome, and Adora found her heartbeat quickening in rhythm with each step she took across the hardwood floor. </p><p>She almost wished that she could see Double Trouble and their wonted, smug grin splitting their face, emerald eyes flashing her way to share some sort of delighted insight, whether it be nonverbal or not. The hobgoblin must have tucked themself away in Catra’s cloak, like they did every so often when they were scared. </p><p><em> Scared...Should I be scared? </em>She couldn’t see Catra’s face, and because that particular thought in itself was somehow simultaneously relieving and frightening, there was a fraction of her being that wished the escapade would end as quickly as it started just so that she’d be able to find out her fate.</p><p>Perhaps Catra read her mind because a second later they rounded the corner of one of the towering shelves, where the mage immediately inserted herself and the blonde into a new area. It seemed as though they were far enough away from Glimmer and Bow that their cacophonous but friendly bickering had been reduced to muffled white-noise, and this greatly pleased Catra. </p><p>The mage snickered, popping her head around the shelf for a brief moment as if to truly confirm that their companions had been evaded successfully, and then her fingers loosened their grip on Adora’s wrist. The two of them parted their hold, but not without Catra sending a conniving grin Adora’s way that further stirred up the already frantic beating within the blonde’s chest. </p><p>“<em> Finally </em>,” Catra sighed exasperatedly, running a hand through her mane while Adora tried not to focus too much on the way the other girl’s eyes flickered with all their mismatched brilliance. “Sorry--uh, you’re probably wondering why I pulled you away.”</p><p>Adora was naturally tempted to quip at Catra’s confession in an effort to hide her own nervousness, and giving herself a mental pat on the back, proceeded in doing just that. “Pretty sneaky, aren’t you? Were Glimmer and Bow really <em> that </em> annoying, or did you just want me all to yourself?” She couldn’t suppress the knowing smirk that she felt stretching across her face, and allowing it to claim her features for a few moments, crossed her arms while she waited for a reply. </p><p>Catra didn’t cease combing a shaking hand through her fur; how could she, with the way Adora was looking at her? “It was a little bit of both, I guess.”</p><p>“You <em> guess? </em>So you’re just acting on impulse here?”</p><p> The crimson slowly creeping up into Catra’s cheeks made Adora laugh, and the mage’s hair stood on end while she spat out another embarrassed admission. “I always act on purpose, alright?!” Her rigid stature softened when she realized that Adora wasn’t at all perturbed by her fiery (but unconvincing) remarks, but rather seemed to be quite enjoying Catra’s flustered state. </p><p>So then, in a softer, apprehensively honest tone: “I...I wanted to be with you. Alone...Without Glimmer or Bow or anyone else.” The sheer willpower it took for Catra to keep her twitching fingers from grabbing Adora’s hands to intertwine their digits was overruled by the fear that maybe she’d made the wrong choice. Maybe she was only making a fool of herself. </p><p>She’d never felt this way about anyone before, after all. Was this how things were supposed to go? Was she supposed to feel this terrified and excited, now that she’d managed to get herself and Adora alone?</p><p>“I just feel like we haven’t been able to...I dunno...be <em> ourselves </em>,” there was a foreign wistfulness to Catra’s voice that suggested something more than she might be letting on, “with everything that’s happened since yesterday.”</p><p>Every single fiber of Catra’s fur stood on end when one of Adora’s hand slipped into her own, and the feel of Adora’s warm, calloused fingers brushing back and forth against the top of her knuckles crushed all remaining traces of doubt that had once hindered her.</p><p>“Catra...I didn’t know you felt that way. I’m sorry...” Adora, noticing perhaps she should get the emotionally distant Catra more involved in the conversation in order to figure out how to fix things, gingerly seized Catra’s other hand. “I’m not used to any of this either...The whole ‘sword’s protector’ thing? I’m still trying to get used to it...To get used to <em> us. </em>” Adora blushed, and something about the sight coupled with the way she’d vocally confirmed that she too realized they were now a thing made Catra feel slightly better about the whole ordeal. “It’s a lot to digest. You know that weird dessert thing we had at brunch today? What are they called--chocolate cornets? All this new stuff makes me feel like I’m trying to scarf down one of those in a single bite.”</p><p>Catra finally met Adora’s eyes, allowing a chuckle to escape her throat as she recalled the scene from earlier that morning. “Adora--even <em> I </em> hadn't seen one of those desserts before and I knew you weren’t supposed to eat it like that.”</p><p>“Well how was I supposed to know?”</p><p>“I dunno, you’re the thousand-year-old First One who was chosen to become the savior of Etheria by a hermit, nearly all-powerful dragon--maybe everyone just assumed you’d know how to eat a cornet?”</p><p>Adora was doing the best she could to pout. She really was. But with the snide smirk Catra was giving her, it was literally impossible--the disappearance of Catra’s once worried mien signaled to Adora that it was now safe to consider the mage’s features to be somewhat risible.</p><p>And so an unbridled snort exited into the space between them, quickly unravelling into a bout of laughter that Adora wasn’t willing to force down. </p><p>“<em> Shhhh </em>, Adora!” Catra hissed, her ears flattening against the top of her head as she clutched the blonde’s hands closer to her chest, as if literally pleading with her friend to stop. “They're going to find us if you can’t keep it down!” </p><p>“I’m sorry, I just--I <em> can’t </em>when you make that face, haha!” </p><p>There it was again. That dreadful but heartwarming sound ricocheting through the imposing collection of literature surrounding them front and back, threatening to spill their whereabouts. In any other circumstance Catra would have joined in--and to be honest, she could feel a similar display of amusement derived from Adora’s joy bubbling up inside--but she was still bent on keeping their location secret. </p><p>“Adora? Catra? Is that you guys?”</p><p>“Where are you? Glimmer, I think I’m lost...”</p><p>Catra leapt forward, deft hands releasing Adora’s own only to claim the blonde’s mouth as she forcefully shut the other girl’s trap and obliterated any lingering notes of bright laughter. </p><p>With Adora’s giggling having been effectively muffled by the mage, the two girls breathed in deep, labored breaths that struggled to match the relaxed tempo they so desired. Adora watched, mesmerized by the protective, acute exterior that overtook Catra within the blink of an eye; instead of her fur being pricked up and standing on end as it had been before, it remained flattened against her as did her ears, and pressing herself into the blonde as her fingers assertively cradled Adora’s jaws, the blonde figured perhaps Catra was trying to make herself seem smaller, to escape the prying eyes of their companions who had finally seemed to notice the two of them had gone “missing”. </p><p>Glimmer’s and Bow’s concerned calls dissipated after a few prolonged moments, moments long enough for Adora to fret that maybe she was more nervous than need be, especially considering the lack of space between herself and Catra.</p><p>“I think they’re gone.”</p><p>Catra’s hands slid down to rest atop the blonde’s muscled shoulders in relief, and it was only then that Adora suddenly registered that her own hands, at some point in their precipitous scare, had settled upon Catra’s waist. </p><p><em> She’s so close!! </em> “I-I think you’re right,” Adora mumbled almost incoherently, desperate to piece together legitimate words instead of befuddled tripe. Being this close to Catra was intoxicating; it was astounding how such a decimation of physical boundaries erased all her attempts to think clearly. </p><p> Without thinking, Adora’s arms wrapped a bit more possessively than before around Catra’s waist, having been only moments before loosely draped around the mage’s hips. “So...You and me, huh?”</p><p>Catra, traitorous to her previous wish at silencing any and all laughter, couldn’t help but chuckle. “Duh, of course. Like I’d have it any other way.”</p><p>Adora’s smile--as warm and radiant as anything Catra had ever seen--erased the shadows between them, and completely contrary to her nature to conquer and contradict anything that attempted to dominate her in any sort of way, Catra allowed Adora to pull her in.</p><hr/><p>Some time later, after time had tiptoed on by as languidly as Catra had hoped, she and Adora emerged from their hidden haven of bookshelves to find Glimmer and Bow asleep, side by side, bathed in the afternoon sun streaming through the library’s stained glass windows. </p><p>Catra stuck out a foot to nudge one of Bow’s hooves, and watched as, even after she’d given his foot a shove, he continued snoring. “You think we should wake them up?”</p><p>“I’m not sure…” Adora looked ruminative, but there was a twinkle in her eye that forced Catra’s stomach to flip-flop; as if the time they’d just spent with each other on their secretive rendezvous hadn't been enough. Blue eyes skipping over from Glimmer to Bow in contemplative frenzy, it truly seemed as though she were struggling with making a decision. “I think they waited for us for a while, so maybe it’d be a good idea if we-”</p><p>“Ah! There you are. I’ve been looking all over the castle for you four.”</p><p>Catra’s fur bristled at the sudden appearance of another individual’s arrival, and finding the regal accent displeasing, strangled a sigh before it could depart from her throat; instead, she allowed a smirk to grace her features as Glimmer woke with a start. Undoubtedly the princess had been able to distinguish such a voice even within her sleep, and this surprised Catra. </p><p>“Queen Angella,” Adora spun around on her heels, nearly tripping over Bow’s outstretched legs as she gave the queen a bow (realizing that Catra was still frozen in place she tugged on the other girl’s cloak, and the mage followed suit). “Sorry! Glimmer and Bow were showing us around the castle, and we decided to spend a little time here in the library.”</p><p>Queen Angella’s eyes roamed from Adora’s concerned face over to her daughter Glimmer, who was hurriedly rubbing sleep from her eyes while simultaneously wrapping an arm around a semi-conscious Bow to lift him to his feet. “Yes...I can see that.”</p><p>“Mom!” Glimmer finally sputtered, adjusting the hem of her cape as Bow gathered enough strength to stand on his own. “What are you doing here? I thought you were with Dad or Auntie Casta. Bow, Adora, Catra and I are still doing our castle tour. We were just--taking a little break.”</p><p>Angella, not preoccupied in the least with the idea that the castle tour was still in progress, straightened her stature with a deep inhale. “Yes Glimmer; I was with your father earlier, as was Castaspella. He’s doing much better, and your aunt has decided to stay by his side for the time being. But now that you’ve had enough time with your friends to show them around a majority of the castle, I’ve come to speak to Adora. There are a few things that I think she should be aware of.”</p><p><em>Aware of what? </em>Adora wanted to ask, but before she or Glimmer could refute or question the queen’s wish, Angella spoke up again. </p><p>“Adora--follow me, please.”</p><p> The blonde exchanged a dubious look with Catra and the others, but finding herself unable to voice her uncertainty to the queen’s request, nodded and stepped up to Angella’s outstretched hand welcoming her on a path that led somewhere unknown. </p><p>Somewhere away from Catra, Glimmer, and Bow. </p><p>Angella must have known the ins and outs of such a labyrinth as the Brightmoon library, because in mere moments she and Adora were out of sight--but definitely not out of mind. </p><p>“What was that all about?” Bow muttered drowsily in a half-yawn.</p><p>Realizing that she’d now been left with the faun and his princess bestie unattended by Adora (there was little hope in getting along with these two without Adora, she believed), Catra grumbled in frustration. “I dunno. Seems like your mom just wanted to spoil our fun, Sparkles,” Catra huffed, hardly registering the fact that Double Trouble had burrowed out of her shirt and was now lazily stretched across the length of her shoulders like a wayward scarf. </p><p>“What do you think she wanted to talk to Adora about..?” Bow continued. Perhaps he was more awake than he let on, despite having been disturbed from his slumber only mere moments before. “It’s like she didn’t want us to know what she was going to discuss with Adora.” He sounded hurt, but unbeknownst to Bow there was another who felt more downhearted than he. </p><p>Glimmer folded her arms across her chest, obviously the most visibly aggravated out of the three. “Yeah, that’s the same feel I got from her too, Bow...I thought after we went with her--after we risked our lives on that journey to find Adora and the sword--that things would change between us. That maybe she’d stop treating me like a kid.”</p><p>Catra raised an eyebrow at that, egging Glimmer on to continue when she gave her a look that showed piqued interest. </p><p>“Oh right. You’re new here...Let me explain. It’s always been like this,” Glimmer sighed in annoyance. “Ever since I’ve been young she’s tried to keep me from having fun. Or it’s felt like it’s been that way, at least. And when my dad got sick a few weeks ago she just got even more annoying and overprotective, like she was trying to control every little detail about my life.”</p><p>Now this was interesting. A princess with mommy issues? There were more layers to Glimmer than the gaudy, supercilious exterior...If Catra played her cards right, she could use this. </p><p>“So you thought going on that journey with her would ease things up a bit? That maybe--if she opened up to you a bit more about that whole situation--it’d bring you two closer?” Catra drawled, her tail flicking mischievously behind her as she pretended to think. </p><p>“Pretty much. Apparently it didn’t work out as well as we’d all hoped.”</p><p>Bow nodded in agreement. “You can say that again…Almost getting run over by a spirit boar and nearly burnt to crisps by a dragon? Too many close calls.”</p><p>Catra hummed, blotting out Bow’s crestfallen murmuring as she felt a perfect opportunity arise. “She should be more open with you, that’s for sure. Especially after you went through all the trouble of making that journey with her.”</p><p>“You know, Catra?” Bow’s face lit up unexpectedly, and the pleasant sight of his imploring brown eyes threw her off guard for a split second. “Ever since we met you, I thought you didn’t like us--but I feel like you’re a lot more soft and understanding than you let on.”</p><p><em> Tch. Don’t test me, Goat Boy. </em> Catra’s stomach churned at the sentimental honesty, and despite every nerve screaming at her to instigate some sort of physical rebuttal for Bow’s kindness, she inhaled deeply and kept herself in line until she was able to follow through. “You know...If you want, there’s a way we can find out what your mom is talking to Adora about. Without actually following them.”</p><p>Glimmer and Bow stared at her in disbelief for nearly five full seconds, as if Catra had started spouting some kind of extinct language no one had heard in five hundred years. </p><p>That was, until, Glimmer broke the silence by blinking away her daze, a pleased grin spreading across her tanned face while Bow seemed to shrivel in on himself. “Really!?” She threw a gloved fist in the air, sending Bow into an even further state of dismay. “Something tells me you’re talking about magic, right?”</p><p>Catra winked slyly. Things were coming together pretty well, and if she was able to get at least Glimmer to side with her on this idea, she’d be able to find out what was so urgent that Queen Angella wished to discuss with Adora. “You got that right, Sparkles. Remember how Adora was telling you guys I was good at magic? She wasn’t kidding. I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve.”</p><p>Bow’s voice careened into their scheming of unprescribed stealth via magic, and it cracked upon impact as he threw himself into the conversation with wildly gesticulating hands. “Noooo, we shouldn’t spy on them! Accidentally stumbling on someone talking about something is an <em> entirely different </em> matter,” his dark irises fell on Glimmer’s face for a moment, as if he was implying she’d found herself in that situation before, “But actually spying on someone on purpose? That’s not...Not good. And I don't mean '<em>not</em> not' good, like, I don't intend a double-negative, I mean-”</p><p>“Keeping secrets from each other is what’s not good here, Goat Boy,” Catra refuted with a smirk as she placed a hand on her hip. “And obviously Queen Angella--after everything you’ve been through together with her--still doesn’t seem to trust you. It’s not like we have a choice.”   </p><p>“She’s right. You know my mom, Bow. She’s not going to willingly tell me anything.” Glimmer’s fists were tightly clenched at her sides, and with each passing second that she thought about her and her mother’s strained relationship, the princess felt her emotions straining for some sense of comfort. And to get that ounce of comfort, whether Glimmer had to get her hands a bit dirty, she hardly cared about. </p><p>To Catra, the contrasting appearances between Bow’s distraught, withered form and Glimmer’s mirthful eyes and determined countenance was almost hilarious. </p><p>If there was a point in her life where she believed, for once, that she knew <em> exactly </em> what Double Trouble felt every waking moment where they playfully fiddled with her thoughts, it was now. </p><p>“So what do you say?” Catra’s mind was racing at an unfathomable speed. “Are you with me?” A prankish lilt to her offer had caused her to extend her hand toward the other two, placing it downward in anticipation of their gestured responses. She wasn’t sure what the action was called, but at the academy she’d seen Kyle do it every now and then when Lonnie and Rogelio were around, his unruly mop of sandy hair flailing to and fro as he nodded to both of them to bring their hands in. </p><p>Usually Lonnie and Rogelio wouldn’t entertain his curious antics, but on the rare instance when they did--boy did it look cool. </p><p>And Catra, even if she’d never admitted it to anyone else aside from Double Trouble as long as she’d lived, knew that deep down, buried somewhere in the torn remains of what puerile hopes she’d garnered as a child, she’d wished for a few friends to try such an action with. At least once. </p><p>And so when Glimmer placed her hand on Catra’s without any hesitation, the mage felt her heart leap within her chest--she still didn’t like the princess and her friend <em> that </em>much--but aside from Adora, they were the only other youths her age she’d managed to find herself considering as being possible acquaintances. Maybe they weren’t so much rivals after all.</p><p>Catra, Glimmer, and Double Trouble eyed Bow intensely, knowing the faun would soon succumb to the peer pressure, and just as they’d hoped he threw his hands up into the air in surrender before sticking one of them in the pile. </p><p>“Okay <em> okay! </em>But I’m only going along with you guys to make sure no one gets into trouble. That’s it.”</p><p>“Righttttt,” Glimmer nudged him in the shoulder with her elbow as soon as they’d broken away from their manual “pact” (or at least that’s what Catra considered it to be). “We might need someone to act as a distraction. For something. I don’t know what yet though.”</p><p>“A distraction is always a wise idea,” Double Trouble purred, and Catra knew they were quite enjoying the situation at hand--especially at the mention of a distraction. “Being dramatic is something I’m <em> very </em>good at. I could train you on all the ins and outs of theater, Bow.”</p><p>“Wait!! I still haven’t entirely agreed to this!”</p><p>Catra rubbed her hands together, pleased with the fact that so far, despite such an execrable morning, there were still moments of mischief to enjoy. Ones, particularly, that stoked her excitement like a bellows would a hungry, spitting flame aching to erupt into a blazing inferno.  </p><p>“Alright…” <em> First order of business. “ </em>Sparkles: you have any books on runes in here?”</p><hr/><p>As much as Adora tried, she struggled to remember any of the prerequisite manners one would show toward royalty. Adora knew they were stored away somewhere in her mind; according to Angella, she’d been in Brightmoon before once in her life, albeit having been a thousand years ago. </p><p>But that got her thinking...Back then did Razz have to, in the tender yet firm manner that she always held, keep Adora from running rampant through the halls as excitement charged through her veins? Did Mara kick her lightly under the table when, perhaps in the dining hall, Adora found her face too stuffed to answer when the queen had asked a question?</p><p>She couldn’t remember. And without Catra here either, there wasn’t much confidence within her; oh no, nearly not enough to spur any well-intentioned actions into being.</p><p>“If you don’t mind me asking, your majesty-” This delivery was as much as she’d been able to assume on the fly, now that she was alone with the queen and following behind the woman mindlessly. “Where are we going?” </p><p>They’d only been walking for a minute or so through the now empty castle halls, but the silence hovering like a looming cloud above them only succeeded in stirring Adora’s unease. </p><p>Queen Angella didn’t turn around, instead gliding past a corner and taking the first of a multitude of steps splayed out before them like a leveled mountain leading somewhere questionable. “Somewhere private where we can speak.”</p><p>Adora’s frown deepened. <em> But what about the others? Is this something they’re not supposed to know? I’m not really liking the sound of this… </em></p><p> The two of them emerged--multiple staircases later--at the top of the castle ramparts; pointed towers reached for the heavens on either side, and if Adora squinted hard enough she could glean the shadows of watchmen on the opposite side of the rampart’s perimeter. </p><p>The wind up here was rougher, more wild; it slapped Adora’s face, bringing with it the frigid pinpricks of cold that screamed of incoming winter. She shuddered, finding an innocuously welcome burst of warmth combat the chilled temperature biting at her cheeks when she thought of how much warmer it might be with Catra up here. Given they could cuddle (or something…hold hands, at the least) together, and keep each other from freezing.  </p><p>She was shaken from her thoughts when the queen asked her a question, barely heard over the whipping of the afternoon wind as it barreled against the castle’s stone and everything else that stood in its way.</p><p>“Tell me, Adora--what do you see?” Queen Angella was gazing outward over the rampart, somewhere off in the distance that Adora couldn’t quite discern. </p><p>“What do I see?” Adora’s eyes frantically searched whatever lay before her: there was the beautiful forest of trees that formed the shrouding wilderness that circulated around Brightmoon, and farther away the mountains’ ivory peaks of where Khankora resided poked up diminutively in the distance. “Well...There’s Brightmoon. And the forest. And the mountains over there-”</p><p>“There’s much more to Etheria than what you see, Adora,” the queen smiled solemnly, as if she had known the question she asked wouldn’t evoke the correct answer she’d been looking for. “I’ve watched over Brightmoon for a thousand years, and just when I think I know everything about the village I love and the world beyond, something always ceases to surprise me. To draw my attention. To <em> frighten </em> me.” </p><p>Adora placed a hand on the smooth rampart stone beside her, feeling her gut wrench with a sudden bout of dread that she wasn’t sure was erroneous at a time such as this. “What do you mean..?”</p><p>Angella sighed. “Recently there’s been something strange happening in Etheria. Many beings--my husband included--have been afflicted by a dark curse that seemingly has no such cure except for the healing touch of your sword. I mentioned this before briefly when we’d found you in the canyon, but I think now it is best that we confirm the instigator of such a plague...The likes of one Etheria has never seen before.”</p><p>The blonde remained impressively quiet, digesting such unembellished words with ferocious intent. Just as she and Catra had discussed in the library, it all still felt like <em> so much </em> to take in…</p><p>Before Angella could tell her what to do, Adora carefully reached behind her back to extract the sword, bringing it between herself and the valkyrie queen. “Tell me what I need to do.” <em> I’m still getting used to everything--but if there’s any way I can help, I will do my best.  </em></p><p>The queen smiled again, but this time it was more sentimental than before; soft, pleased, happy that Adora was willing to embrace such a task, even if she may not entirely know all the details. “Just as you channeled your thoughts and will to heal earlier today, you must do the same to ask the sword for the origin of something. It will feel your desire, and if all goes well, it will speak to you.”</p><p>If Adora hadn't confirmed with her very eyes her ability to summon and control the sword’s magic not once but <em> twice </em>already, she might have not believed in such a simplistic approach to utilizing it for origin-related business.</p><p>And even if she didn’t fully believe in herself quite yet or the power she was capable of when using her sword, everyone else believed in her, trusted her, had faith in her. </p><p>That thought alone was enough for Adora to solely focus on the task given, and for the second time that day she closed her eyes, furrowed her brows, and mustered all thoughts into one singular command: <em> Show me who brought this curse. </em></p><p>Truth be told, Adora wasn’t sure <em> at all </em>what was going to happen when she requested the sword to answer such an inquiry...So when, in her nebulous mind, the darkness behind her closed lids began swirling, drawing in splotches of rich crimson and fiery orange that she’d never seen anywhere else, her heartbeat quickened significantly.</p><p>Flames protruded from the ground in the areas that a peculiar simmering, molten liquid didn’t cover, sprouting from their beds of bulbous rock. It was as if Adora’s consciousness was there, somehow floating above all the chaotic fire and stone that embraced it, and just as she was wishing to lean in and get a closer look at a drove of winged, reptilian creatures in the distance, she was sucked backward into another realm. </p><p>Everything but unyielding red disappeared as Adora was drawn into utter darkness, belonging to what seemed to be an even more merciless void than before. The murky tunnel to her unknown destination flew past her at a horrific speed, instilling within Adora the feeling of being in free fall; she was about to open her eyes due to the panic-stricken thundering within her chest, when all of a sudden everything came to a screeching halt. </p><p>And there he was. </p><p>The answer to her question. </p><p>Sitting on an ebony throne of wavering shadow that appeared to be crafted with the essence of unrelenting evil itself was a being Adora had never seen before, but felt as though she knew--the fear he impressed into her heart was, much, much more frightening than the agony of the free fall.</p><p>Blood-red eye sockets stared back at her, somehow simultaneously empty but filled with a hatred so deep that Adora dreaded, perhaps, there was a possibility this being could really see her and feel her presence. </p><p>The clicking of his talons on the obsidian armrest echoed throughout the abysmal chamber, where only deep crimson infiltrated the oily darkness surrounding the being that exuded such wickedness. </p><p>And then he smiled, sickly gray lips parting for a brief moment in greeting. “Hello, Adora.”</p><p>Unaware that she’d been holding her breath, an extremely sharp inhale filled her lungs with crisp air that, thankfully, hauled Adora back to the present, and the girl’s incredulous, saucer-like eyes told the queen of Brightmoon everything she needed to know.</p><p>“You saw him, didn’t you?”</p><p>Her mouth struggled with the simple job of forming words, and after Adora had managed to calm the drumming of the muscle within her chest just enough for her to think about how to respond, she found it easier to nod slowly.</p><p>
  <em> Who...Who was that?! </em>
</p><p>Angella, having recognized (and partially predicted) this kind of reaction from Adora, spoke more calmly and collected than she thought were possible, considering the odious swirling within her own stomach. “That was Hordak the Demon King, ruler of the Underworld. I...had been suspecting him of the curse afflicting the beings here in Etheria, but I was hoping my assumptions were incorrect. He has never been willing to coexist with those here on the surface, and after the world erupted into war a thousand years ago, the weak relation between humans and faeries--especially after the eradication of the First Ones--only assisted his assaults.”</p><p>Feeling a bit ill after such a traumatic experience, one that she had not been completely prepared for, Adora leaned against the wall of the rampart. “Why...Why would he do that?” </p><p>“To seize Etheria. To weaken it bit by bit, until no one is able to protect themselves and fight back against his forces. His atrocities were scattered over the past thousand years, perhaps in hopes that no one would take much notice,” the queen’s tone had taken a grim, more reluctant turn, one that plummeted the cold air surrounding them into a more brumal setting. “And now he’s returned again...this time with a tactic that I’m afraid he will continue to use until all of Etheria is under his control.”</p><p>“No.” A spark of bravery kindled within Adora’s chest upon hearing the queen’s words, and although her hands were still shaking and her skin felt clammy, she stepped forward determinedly. “I’m not going to let that happen. I know I wasn’t around for the last thousand years to see everything Hordak has done, but now...Now this is my world too. And I want to protect it.”</p><p>Queen Angella, throughout the duration of Adora’s tenacious declaration, looked out toward the expanse of her kingdom and what lay beyond. Surprisingly her mind was not as far away as it might have seemed. </p><p>Her smile had faded, but in its place remained a pensive, tight-lipped line, one that communicated without any hint of emotion that whatever she would say next was paramount. “Whatever happens, Hordak mustn’t get the sword. He would abuse its power, just as those who hunted the First Ones in order to utilize such a weapon wished to do. Right now his attempts to poison Etheria little by little will only grow, and because of this we must be prepared to fight. <em> You </em>must be prepared to fight.”</p><p>Adora nodded. <em>This is what Mara, Razz, and Khankora were trying to tell me. This is why I'm here.</em> “I will do whatever it takes, your majesty.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>hello! i apologize for the delay on this chapter; i've been busy with preparing for a new job this past week, and so didn't make as much time to do writing. BUT with that being said, i hope that this chapter was somewhat worth it xD i'm going to try harder to balance out my time with writing and work these coming weeks!</p><p>let me know what you thought of the chapter in the comment box! as always, it makes me inexplicably happy to hear from you readers :) &lt;3 </p><p>thank you to those of you who've read up until now, i really appreciate it. OH and before i forget, i wanted to say that scorpia, entrapta, and emily will become more prominent from now on in the story within the next couple of chapters?? they're gonna be playing a very important role...but i'm sure many of you can already figure it out what it is ;)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Nineteen</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Adora had assumed that after her discussion with Queen Angella that things would seem different; as if the world would take on a sudden dire spin, noticeably dousing everything around her with an unexpected urgency that pointed back (no matter which way you looked at it) to Hordak. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And she’d been right.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Walking back down the stairs with no one else to keep her company but her muddled, heavy thoughts, Adora wasn’t at all surprised to find her stomach churning subtly in her abdomen with each step onto cobbled stone. Queen Angella had once again taken the lead after their lengthy conversation, but her decisiveness to continue on with the day while holding such distressing circumstances in mind forced Adora to desire some snippet of normalcy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At the bottom of the staircase the queen pivoted slowly on her heel, hands folded together regally as she fixed Adora with a soft, sympathetic smile. “Again, I am sorry to ask you to take on such a formidable task...But please, know that I am here to help. I will do the best I can to teach you everything I know in hopes that, when the time comes, you will be more than prepared to face Hordak. And remember you will not be alone then either.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The fingers of Adora’s right hand found themselves winding around the wrist belonging to her slackened forearm. Gripping the sleeve of her shirt so impossibly tight, she realized she could feel her pulse skipping away beneath fevered skin. “Thank you, Queen Angella.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was a prolonged moment of weathered silence between the two of them, as if all that was to be said about Hordak and the impending doom on Etheria’s horizon had already been shared (and thankfully so). Adora suddenly felt very exhausted, but thankfully Angella appeared to pick up on such physical and mental strain. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Adora--why don’t you get some rest? Wash up, sleep, whatever it might be that you need to do. There is plenty of time before we gather for dinner. Maybe Catra may care to join you? I assume she’s somewhere with Glimmer and Bow.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>An unexpected surge of heat exploded across Adora’s cheeks at the mention of (what would Catra be called now? Her </span>
  <em>
    <span>girlfriend, </span>
  </em>
  <span>maybe? Were they official?) the other girl, who now, through an unprecedented series of events, had become something much more than a mere traveling companion during their time together. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh, yeah--sure! Some rest would probably do her good too, I think,” Adora added after Angella’s suggestion hung in the air for only a split second, and watching Queen Angella nod in agreement with the blonde’s confirmation on such an offer, Adora did the best she could to present a grateful smile. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A few minutes later and not without the queen’s magnanimous fixation to personally deliver Adora to the proper quarters, Adora watched as a set of broad, wooden doors swung open on their hinges to reveal a lavish, spacious room that Adora swore rivaled the size of the dining hall.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her startled blue eyes roamed over the additions of her new living space, quite unprepared for her vision to be graced by such over-extravagance--a bed nearly the size of the king’s own rested in the middle of the room, covered in satin pillows and deep pink sheets that reminded Adora of the scenic view a setting sun would paint over the horizon. Off to the right some sort of indoor pond/pool impetrated for her attention, and even beyond that an archway declared that there was still something beyond, perhaps another room (a smaller one, Adora hoped). </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Raising a hand, the curiosity within Adora piqued a question, an actual coherent sentence, for the first time since entering her new room. “Where, uh, does that lead to?” Adora was motioning toward the archway feebly, somehow feeling more stupid than not for reacting in a more flabbergasted manner than Queen Angella might have expected.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The bath is down that way.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then what’s this pool for..? Is this where I’m supposed to take a bath?”  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Queen Angella chuckled softly at Adora’s ingenuous interest, and though she wanted dreadfully to inform Adora that--some time ago, a thousand years past, the youth had asked her nearly the same question in the company of different friends--she refrained. “For decoration, my dear.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah…” Adora’s feet had departed from her petrified stance near the doorway, and trundling warily through the room she finally made it to the bed, where she, ever so carefully, skimmed her fingers over the impossibly-soft covers. “For decoration...Right! Pftt, I knew that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Gathering that Adora would most likely be deeply preoccupied with the room’s ambience for a good remainder of the evening, Angella decided it was time to take her leave. The gentle flame of joy within her heart, reanimated upon seeing Adora react nearly the exact same way as she did centuries before after being buried deep within for an eternity, told Angella that for now, everything was as it should be.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I hope you’ll forgive me Adora, but I shall be taking my leave. I assume you’d like some time to yourself to relax, and despite us only have arrived in Brightmoon this morning there is much for me to do,” Angella sighed with a shake of her head, though Adora could tell that the queen wasn’t quite wishing to communicate the exhaustion that her voice portrayed. “It would seem that a queen’s work is never done.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora’s heart skipped a beat as the queen bid goodbye, and wrenched her fingers out of the pool that was apparently for decoration (she’d migrated away from the cloud-like pillows and satin bed cover thanks to her short attention span), stood up so rapidly that her fatigue threw a veil of dark spots across the span of her vision. “Oh, okay! Do you think-” Adora stopped herself, wondering if inquiring about where Catra would be staying seemed too forward. Instead, she settled for something a little more considerate of the other friends she’d made recently. “Will Glimmer and the others be around?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Something moving at a speed far too fast for Adora to comprehend hurtled down the hallway behind Queen Angella, visible for a millisecond at one side of the room’s doorway and then completely obscure the next as it disappeared in a flurry of sparkles and clattering hooves. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A crash sounded further down the hallway, and Queen Angella sighed before shielding the top half of her face with a thin, pale hand, almost as if she knew exactly what was happening and wasn’t entirely enthusiastic about the reception. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“To answer your question, I believe my daughter isn’t very far…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Glimmer’s face, partially shrouded by messy tufts of creamy pink hair, popped into view right as her mother gave one final sigh that indicated her departure. “Adora! There you are!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The thought of Catra possibly being nearby caused Adora’s stomach to churn again (not unpleasantly), and when Glimmer barrelled into the room with Bow huffing closely behind her Adora couldn’t help but furrow her brows at their sense of chaotic urgency. “What’s wrong?” she asked, Glimmer’s fingers digging themselves into her shoulders while the princess attempted to compose herself while simultaneously gasping for breath.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s Catra.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh no.</span>
  </em>
  <span> “Catra? What happened to her?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Glimmer’s mouth opened, and for a moment Adora thought that her new friend was about to spill the rest of the information, yet </span>
  <em>
    <span>right</span>
  </em>
  <span> as she expected an answer from Glimmer, Bow shoved his way between them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She’s gone! We can’t find her anywhere!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora blinked. This wasn’t making any sense. “Wasn’t she with you though?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Both Glimmer and Bow retracted from Adora lazily, as if the blonde’s question had mysteriously forced them into uncomfortable, stifled silence. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The edges of Adora’s frown dipped further. “What? What is it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uhh, about that…” Bow was squishing the index fingers of both hands together nervously. Not a good sign. “We--uh, she </span>
  <em>
    <span>was </span>
  </em>
  <span>with us, but then she kinda ran off…I think she might be upset about something? Glimmer and I aren’t exactly 100% sure of what it is though.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I want to ask more questions, but more than that I want to find Catra. They don’t seem willing to tell me very much though...Why? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Adora adjusted the buckling of her sword’s strap against her chest, making sure that the article was properly secured before she went scurrying around the castle. “Where was the last place you saw her?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We were in the castle library-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And with that, Adora marched past the two of them without waiting for Glimmer to finish her sentence.</span>
</p>
<p><span>The matching, raspy breathing of Glimmer and Bow somehow managed to reach Adora’s ears, even though she was nearly out the door. “Where are you going?! She’s not there anymore.”</span><span><br/></span> <span>“It’s alright. I’ll find her.”</span></p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you want us to come with you?” Bow asked weakly, his voice cracking.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No,” Adora stopped by the doors, thinking about the best, most polite, and respectable way to respond to his considerate offer. “I think this is something I have to do alone. Thank you, though.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She wasn’t sure if Bow or Glimmer had any words or thoughts left to say after her resolute announcement to seek Catra on her own, but despite the heavy sense of confusion and worry suffusing the air between them, Adora exited the room and continued on her way back into the castle’s depths.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She glided through the halls with timely fervor at a pace she wasn’t sure she’d be capable of before, head held aloft as she glanced every which way, hoping that perhaps, with some luck, she’d be able to spot Catra somewhere. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But knowing Catra, being able to find her was something Adora knew wouldn’t cater to the beguile of luck. Catra was smart, resourceful, </span>
  <em>
    <span>cunning</span>
  </em>
  <span>--if she hid herself for a reason, Adora was sure that the mage would keep herself alone for however long she desired. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Castle staff floated past as Adora traversed down the halls, her boots scuffing against the floor unceremoniously as she wandered through the castle and into rooms that weren’t decorated on the outside by guards. Many times she could have sworn she passed by a room or roamed down a hall that Queen Angella, Glimmer, or Bow had shown to her at some point previously earlier on in the day, and as the sun began sinking further and further in the sky everything within Brightmoon castle took on a different glow, a more cordial hue. Along with its warmth, a hushed whisper for much-needed rest re-entered Adora’s thoughts; she wasn’t sure how long she’d been wandering through corridors, but realized that now the sun had almost completely retired somewhere behind the lining of trees outside of Brightmoon’s walls. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Feeling quite unsuccessful in her attempted search for Catra, Adora took a right at the next archway that presented itself and soon found that she’d taken a detour to the castle garden. During their Brightmoon castle tour earlier that day, Glimmer had spoken multiple times about the garden, fawning over incessantly about how it was one of her most favorite places on the grounds (unfortunately due to Queen Angella borrowing Adora for a private discussion, they hadn't gotten the chance to continue on with their tour). </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There were so many places, countless nooks and crannies that Adora was absolutely certain she’d missed during her search. Some of those places she assumed she might have stumbled upon during her search for Catra, but still believed there were countless other locations yet to be explored. She hadn't given up yet, but the grumbling within her stomach convinced her that perhaps a break was needed. Maybe priorities should be reevaluated as well at this point…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ahead a wall of pastel roses caught Adora’s eye, the last twinkle of something soft and welcoming that beckoned her over while the sun began its final stretch into nocturnal retirement. Waddling over on unsteady feet, she managed to make it to the eloquently carved stone bench positioned right in front of the gorgeous floral array and plopped herself down with a lethargic sigh. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora swung her limp legs beneath her, watching absentmindedly as she kicked up a few tiny clods of dirt and grass. Another sigh, this one wistful and carrying with it every ounce of warmth that Adora could muster when thinking of her missing friend, escaped her barely parted lips as a miniature cloud that dissolved in the twilight. “Where </span>
  <em>
    <span>are you, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Catra?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A gust of wind stirred up a series of leaves and flower petals and whipped languidly against the ground in front of the blonde, perhaps a passing wind nymph wishing to respond to Adora’s troubled question with some sort of comforting gesture. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Even after the zephyr had been swept away elsewhere, there was no itching desire for Adora to turn around; to meander her way back to Bow and Glimmer (wherever they were); to retreat to the room that Queen Angella had gifted her with; to return to the library in hopes that Catra would be there. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora had been right; wherever Catra was, she’d--without a doubt--decided to keep herself hidden, whatever the reason was. If there were any possibility that Adora would be able to talk with the other girl, to ask Catra to share her worries, it would be only by the mage’s own terms. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And so Adora waited. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She waited until the sun disappeared completely and a waning moon peered above the skirting treetops, finally settling into the lofty heavens as straggling, nebulous clouds roved past. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Glimmer and Bow had discovered Adora a few hours after she’d made herself comfortable in the garden, bringing with them a small picnic basket filled with what had been served at dinner. Even though Adora hadn't known them very long, the two were extremely amiable and adamant about her safety; and tonight it was more specifically with Adora returning to her room, seeing as how the timely duo of darkness and cold had settled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Being polite Adora had done the best she could to kindly turn down their offer, and after much hassle Glimmer and Bow returned only once to bring the blonde a hand-knitted blanket, leaving with their gift a few more offers that they’d be waiting for her in Adora’s room if anything was needed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It surprised the blonde that Glimmer and Bow still hadn't said much concerning Catra’s disappearance, but obviously they too seemed concerned about the wellbeing of Adora’s crush. Maybe, Adora thought, they’d wanted Catra to explain things to the blonde. Maybe Glimmer and Bow really didn’t know the entirety of what had driven Catra away so disappointed, and maybe they didn’t want to spin together any fanciful, delusory explanation that strayed from the truth. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ever since she’d deposited herself on the garden bench, it seemed as time had dragged by rather lazily, and without Adora’s notice the guards had lit a parade of wall-mounted torches along the outskirts of the castle. Such lucid warmth of the flames begged for Adora to snack on something from the basket that Glimmer and Bow had left her, but despite her grumbling abdomen she couldn’t bring herself to eat. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora’s eyelids grew heavier as the blanket of night enchanted more of her senses, rousing her to succumb to sleep. The comfort provided by the blanket that her friends had given her also encouraged Adora to rest, and it was during the wee hours of the morning that finally Adora found her consciousness ebbing away.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was also at that exact moment when something twisted in the far landscape of her vision; a faint, precarious shadow that could have passed for a trick of the flickering torches behind Adora. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Because of this, Adora assumed it could have been a hallucination of her sleep deprivation--yet even so she called out, the deepest part of her being hoping for something more than an optical illusion. “Catra..?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The shadowy figure seized all movement immediately, but Adora’s steadily blinking eyes, the ones now straining away from inviting slumber, refused to look anywhere else. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After a minute of deceitful quiet, a familiar voice, one relieving to Adora’s ears, answered back with its usual beloved, raspy tone. “Hey, Adora.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The shadow grew closer, and with each soundless step made in Adora’s direction the dark shape took on color and form, molding itself into Catra’s slender figure. Adora squinted, and blinking more than a few times to ward away the sleep weighing down her eyelids, broke into a delighted smile as Catra came to a halt some paces away. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Something about the other girl was off; Adora could clearly tell by the way Catra stood. She seemed tense, as if expecting Adora or some other being to lash out with some sort of drastic, unwelcome movement, and a tight-lipped line split her features, a fang peeking precariously over the edge to break through the frown. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As usual, perched on Catra’s shoulder with a tiny, clawed hand gripping the tufts of her unruly mane was Double Trouble, the hobgoblin partially swaddled by the mage’s earthy cloak. They too had the same vexed look on their face that Catra wore, and although Adora assumed it must have been a trick of the poor lighting, there seemed to be the thin veil of something more melancholy shrouding the other two individuals--something that Adora was itching to get to the bottom of. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Catra!” Adora stood up rather abruptly, more so than she probably should have in her current exhausted state. Black spots fizzled at the corners of her vision and she steadied herself for a moment, fighting off the urge to leap into the other girl’s arms. “Where have you been?! I’ve been worried about you--Glimmer and Bow told me that you went missing after I left, and that they couldn’t find you anywhere. What happened? Why’d you leave?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The urge to hug Catra, to envelope her completely, was still there within Adora’s heart; the only thing refraining her from doing so was the amount of distance between herself and the other girl. It was a sizeable amount of space between them, as if Catra were purposefully leaving a buffer to prevent--</span>
  <em>
    <span>something. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Something that Adora didn’t know about yet. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra’s eyes, somehow glowing even more alluring shades of liquified gold and aquamarine in the cloud-swathed moonlight, flitted back and forth furiously for a few moments, as if questioning herself of her subsequent response. “You’re staying here, aren’t you?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora took a step forward, sending Catra back a pace. “Wait--what?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re staying </span>
  <em>
    <span>here</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Catra enunciated again, this time more slowly and with a strain of what Adora could clearly deduce was frustration. “In Brightmoon. You don’t have to hide it, I already know.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A sudden chill swept through the garden, and coupled with the ice-cold accusation that Catra had fired at her, the air around Adora forced her to cross her arms over her chest to preserve what little warmth remained. “H-How do you know?”</span>
  <em>
    <span> Queen Angella and I were the only ones talking up there on the castle wall earlier; is there some way that Catra listened in? Not that I have a problem with it, but-</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra let out a peculiar sound, half snarl and half laugh--as if the mere thought of revealing the nature of the situation to Adora were enough to make her sick. Which, perhaps, was true. “It was easy. Sparkles, Goat Boy, and I used a rune to listen in on you and the queen. We know what you talked about. About Hordak and his plan to take over Etheria and get his hands on the sword and all that. Everything.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora wasn’t sure what to say. She had been planning to tell Catra at some point, preferably some time soon when the two of them had rested sufficiently and felt more at home within Brightmoon. She’d assumed the delivery might have been hard, especially with Catra’s tendency to deny ideas or truths that bothered her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But </span>
  <em>
    <span>this</span>
  </em>
  <span> reception--Catra’s disgusted, acidic turmoil that bubbled furiously beneath her words--was something that Adora had not been prepared for. Of course she’d been on the receiving end of Catra’s emotional outbursts and unprecedented anger other times before, but now, </span>
  <em>
    <span>tonight</span>
  </em>
  <span>, every accusing syllable that had slid off Catra’s tongue cut deeper. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Perhaps it was because they’d managed to, over the past couple of days, stitch their relationship closer than it had ever been before, and now here Adora was--feeling as if Catra were ripping apart what progress they’d made with her bare hands. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Catra…” Adora began, and releasing the grip on her arms tried to place a trembling hand on Catra’s own shoulder. Her heart plummeted into her already roiling gut when Catra recoiled, and she watched her effort sail away on another gust of autumn breeze. “I was going to tell you. I...Just wasn’t expecting you to run off so suddenly? I don’t think Glimmer or Bow were expecting it either.” A pause, as things were finally coming together. “I...Are you...</span>
  <em>
    <span>mad?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The sight of Catra’s eternally adorable, velvety ears flattening themselves against the back of her mane in response to Adora’s honest question felt like someone had plunged a knife into the blonde’s chest. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Most likely Adora herself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Really, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Adora..</span>
  <em>
    <span>?</span>
  </em>
  <span> You think I’m upset? No, I’m absolutely ecstatic! Over the moon, really,” Catra’s impossibly snarky reply almost managed to fill Adora with just an ounce of hope that, maybe,</span>
  <em>
    <span> just maybe</span>
  </em>
  <span> Catra was being serious. Yet when the burst of cynical laughter spewed forth, it severed all possibility of such wishful thinking on Adora’s end. “Honestly...You really can’t take a hint, can you? You’re choosing your new friends over me. Of course I’m mad.”  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A sudden burst of annoyance flooded through Adora’s veins. “It’s not like that. I’m not choosing anyone over you, Catra. I’m just doing what I need to do-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No one’s forcing you to stay. We said we’d go to the Highlands together. Brightmoon was just supposed to be a quick stop.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You were there when Khankora showed me my past, weren’t you? You </span>
  <em>
    <span>know</span>
  </em>
  <span> that I’m the sword’s protector. I’m here for Etheria and to stop whatever it is Hordak is trying to do. Why are you making this such a big deal?” Adora was undeniably irritated now; the vexation had transcended to simmering atop her skin, and without her even noticing the cold had surrendered any attempts in nipping at unprotected skin. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Because</span>
  <em>
    <span> I </span>
  </em>
  <span>still need to go to the Highlands.” </span>
</p>
<p><em><span>Then </span></em><b><em>go</em></b><em><span>! </span></em><span>Adora almost wanted to spit, but knowing just how cruel such a statement would be to anyone let alone </span><em><span>Catra, </span></em><span>Adora refused to admit the aggravated sentiment. And if she were completely honest, she didn't want Catra to go, no matter how sophomoric the other girl was being. “I</span> <span>want to go with you, Catra. But now that things are different, I need to stay </span><em><span>here</span></em><span>, in Brightmoon. I’m going to learn how to use my sword, to get better at magic--what’s happening in Etheria is something I can change. It’s my duty. It’s what I’m supposed to do…was </span><em><span>born</span></em><span> to do.” The sword on Adora’s back suddenly felt more palpable, more present, in the flurry of her well-disposed monologue. “Please try to understand.”</span></p>
<p>
  <span>The tension between them, so suffocating that Adora could not possibly fathom what to say next, only grew thicker when Catra spoke up after an insufferable quietude. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A softer, more timid question from Catra caught Adora off guard. “Do you know why I helped you out when we first met? The day I found you in the forest.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“My first instinct was to leave you there. You were alone, and so was I. But you were confused and lost and honest...Part of me understood your loneliness, and when I saw the sword I thought that maybe there was something about you that could benefit me. To get me out of the slump of a school I was raised in and find somewhere I actually belonged.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“My entire life I’ve been forced to look after myself, to make sure that I’d survive. No one cared about me--I didn’t have any family. My only friend was Double Trouble, but I was okay with that...Back at the academy the old hag Shadow Weaver would always tell us it’s a dog-eat-dog world, and I believed it. That’s why when I saw you, part of me thought I’d finally have my shot of getting out of that dump and finding somewhere else. Finding home.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora could hold back no longer.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Catra!” She lurched forward to close the distance between them, and although Catra attempted to move backward again and remain out of the blonde’s reach, Adora managed to latch onto the mage’s wrist, refusing to let go. “What are you talking about? </span>
  <em>
    <span>Of course</span>
  </em>
  <span> you belong here. Maybe this place--Brightmoon--isn’t home. But you and me? Together. </span>
  <em>
    <span>That’s</span>
  </em>
  <span> home. At least to me it is...Remember what you told me? On the night I ran away when you said I was a First One.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora suddenly registered a wetness seeping across fevered cheeks, bringing to her an uncanny mixture of comfort and awkwardness as she took in Catra’s piercing eyes. “You said that you thought we met for a reason. That us finding each other meant something. You meant that, right?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra didn’t respond for an excruciating minute, the fire in her eyes refusing to abate as Adora held her there with an unrelenting sky blue gaze lined with tear-slicked lashes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I did mean what I said.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Voice cracking, Adora continued. “Then why are you saying you have to go..? </span>
  <em>
    <span>Stay. </span>
  </em>
  <span>At least until I get this whole saving Etheria thing figured out. Then we can go to the Highlands together. I promise.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was a short laugh, like Catra was juggling her thoughts deftly within her conscious and then someone had thrown a wrench into her plans, nearly causing her to lose control of the balancing act. “Y’know, it’s funny. I wasn’t expecting to find myself developing...</span>
  <em>
    <span>feelings...</span>
  </em>
  <span>for the girl that I found in the forest. It wasn’t part of the plan.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora couldn't resist allowing a sad smile to spread across her tear-stained face. “So what was the plan?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I was going to pretend I wanted to help you. To say we were going to the Highlands to find out where you were from--but really we’d be going there for </span>
  <em>
    <span>me</span>
  </em>
  <span>. To find</span>
  <em>
    <span> my </span>
  </em>
  <span>family. Despite what everyone told me and </span>
  <em>
    <span>has </span>
  </em>
  <span>been telling me my entire life, I thought that with your sword I could finally discover the truth. If I really was the last one left...That was the plan. I never intended to go there for you.”  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra took several shaky inhales, feeling the night air press a layer of frost against the inside of her burning lungs. “And now you have a place where people say you belong, Adora. You made your choice, and I made mine. I have to keep going. Gotta stick to the plan.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Catra, you don’t have to lea-” Adora started warily, uncertain of the point in their conversation when her hand had fallen away from Catra’s tempered wrist; if she really thought about it, it must have been when Catra had revealed to her the original intention of her desire to head to the Highlands for her own convenience. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I do, Adora. Stop making this more difficult than it needs to be.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rubbing a fist against the side of her face to wipe away the tears, Adora stepped forward forcefully, and all around her the garden seemed to spin as colors and scents and sounds blurred together in a frantic m</span>
  <span>é</span>
  <span>lange of sensory and emotional distraught. “No Catra--</span>
  <em>
    <span>you’re</span>
  </em>
  <span> the one who’s making this difficult! Whenever I try and do something good for you or someone else, you always make me feel like I did something wrong. Like when I rescued you from those wolves, or when I gave up my sword because Huntara was about to kill you. Even when I decide to stay a little longer in Brightmoon to learn how to protect the people of Etheria you try to make me feel guilty. You think I’m doing this for myself?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dumbstruck by Adora’s unexpected confession and finding her heart having leapt up into the claustrophobic confines of her throat, Catra could do nothing else but stand there, completely stupefied. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, maybe I should be more like you and think of myself more often. But I’m sorry to break it to you, I’m not like that, Catra. I care about Etheria. I care about </span>
  <em>
    <span>you. </span>
  </em>
  <span>And I want to do whatever I can to protect the people I love.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh...I--I said it. I really said it. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Adora’s eyebrows nearly shot up into her hairline as her mind finally caught up with her mouth and the speed of her adrenaline-fueled words, realizing that perhaps she’d said too much; she’d held out her raw, beating heart in open hands, laying all she’d been feeling unguarded toward any and all scrutiny or degradation that Catra might dish out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> Adora watched as Catra’s mouth parted, opening once to allow what might have been a harsh retort to slip through, but closing again without so much as a timid whisper of understanding to appease her frenzied state of mind. She hadn't intended to release such a confession: that she, of all people, despite all the hurt she’d endured from Catra  (with the other girl’s inability to relay more positive emotional responses), felt something more than a vanilla friendship with the mage. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That what she really felt was closer to-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Catra seemed scared. “You...You don’t mean that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> Even though everything inside her was telling Adora to abandon ship, that the last time she’d revealed her innermost desire to Catra she’d been left with nothing more than a curt, inconsiderate apology, there was no stopping such a powerful flow of heartfelt, sincere emotion.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Adora’s back muscles strained as she pulled herself into a more confident stance, hoping that Catra wouldn’t notice the way her bottom lip was quivering or the way her fingers had been twitching enough that she had no choice but to ball her hands into white-knuckled fists. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>There’s no going back.</span>
  </em>
  <span> “I do. So please, Catra...now that you know...try to understand. I’d never purposefully do anything to hurt you. I want to help you find your family, Catra. But right now I need to be </span>
  <em>
    <span>here,” </span>
  </em>
  <span>As if to make her point more concrete the blonde pointed to the ground, though her heart doubted the significance of the gesture in its effort to convince the mage. “I’m staying because I want to protect you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It took a series of prolonged moments--moments where Catra literally couldn’t process anything else beside the single point that Adora had declared with unrivaled honesty so strong-willed and sharp that it effortlessly sliced through the iron casing of her heart--before Catra could gather enough sense to manage a simple nod of the head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> “I see.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It would be a repeat of Adora’s confession before, on the starry night where the two of them had shared a heartfelt discussion about destiny and other things one couldn’t control...For a reason she could not and would not explain to Adora, Catra could not return the confession; at least not yet. If she were to concede with a reciprocation of such passionate sincerity, there would be no reason for her to leave...</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And so, feeling detached from any and all tethers to the world aside from the wet grass beneath her feet, Catra drifted past Adora like a dreary shadow. She wasn’t looking forward to reentering the same castle she had been avoiding for a majority of the evening, but right now anywhere besides being with Adora was ideal. Beside the blonde she couldn't think--everything, every single atom of her being, was set on fire, and if she couldn’t remove herself in time Catra was sure she too would devolve into a blubbering, angry mess of something she didn’t want to be right now: honest. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was something she never wanted to be, yet somehow Adora anyways seemed to amiably coax her into, whether she intended to or not.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As impossible as it is to touch a silhouette, a wavering trick of light and dark failing to collide, Adora stayed pensive and taut as Catra passed her by; though they were separated by nothing more than a few strides that could have been easily closed with quick steps, Adora thought it better that tonight, for once, she and Catra remain apart. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Perhaps with some sleep things would look brighter tomorrow.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>There were many--</span>
  <em>
    <span>many</span>
  </em>
  <span>--things that Scorpia did not know of up here on the surface, she realized. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>For instance: what were those strange creatures, slithering amongst the tendrils of clear water belonging to the small streams that they passed by? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her traveling companion Entrapta, after a very perplexed look that contorted quickly into amusement, replied with a shrill, informative announcement, “Those are salamanders, of course! Not the fire ones though--you’ll only find those in fireplaces and other warm, toasty areas. These are the non-magical water kind, to be precise! Aren’t they absolutely adorable?!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Scorpia hadn't known about certain land formations either. Why did the scenery around them, a mixture of lichen-coated stone and earth carpeted with a thicket of evergreen trees that seemed to sparse out the more the altitude increased, seem to get more pointy as it clambered through the sky? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah, these?” Entrapta had pointed out, ambling along as one of her purple pigtails pointed to a mountain top farther ahead, “These are mountains! Such a fascinating distortion of land is created when two tectonic plates collide with extreme force, raising the land on both sides...This particular canyon is the crevice between both sides of those plates that crashed together probably millions of years ago--astonishing, right??”.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There were other “shocking” discoveries to be made upon their perilous, enlightening journey, Scorpia discovered. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She had never been in close quarters with any other lightning other than her own; and unsurprisingly, it wasn’t something she was quite ready to do so again, especially when her party had barely made it out of the mountainous canyon by the skin of their teeth. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A little more than just hair got singed by the ominous green lightning within the canyon. Emily was the only one who hadn't appeared to have suffered as much physical damage as Entrapta or Scorpia had, and while coddling her slightly barbeque-d tail, Scorpia trotted along after the friendly shadow demon. Throughout their entire journey and even now at the denouement of their most recent, frivolous chase, Emily seemed to be the only one to completely disregard the unfortunate encounter with their vicious pursuer. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rubbing the tough exterior of her tail’s barb, Scorpia let out a wishful sigh, thinking perhaps she’d be much more lucky to escape a rogue assailant if she too were small, round, and gaseous. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yet once they had made their way safely out of the canyon in one piece (and in record time, if anyone had happened to observe and compare with previous expeditions), the enthusiasm had returned and settled on Scorpia and Entrapta, as swiftly and naturally as a thick fog would in the wee hours of the morning. Such enthusiasm, much of which was prompted by the increasingly excited state of Emily as she careened through the forest at breakneck speed, absorbed a great deal of Scorpia’s worry. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The burning of her calves had long ago numbed as the muscles flexed and stretched to accommodate to their new hobby of strenuous hiking (for there had been no mountains and forest-y terrain in the Underworld, mind you), and it was with a delighted smile that revealed perfect pearly whites when Scorpia finally allowed herself a fist pump into the air. “Yes! </span>
  <em>
    <span>Finally!</span>
  </em>
  <span> We’re here! This is Brightmoon, right? We made it!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Entrapta, busy wrapping her animated hair around Emily’s bulbous form to give the demon some kind of hug, released a pleased laugh that sounded somewhat more diabolical than not. “Haha, it is! The journey took slightly longer than I calculated, but I should have taken into account the variables of outside forces of other magical beings interfering beforehand-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Scorpia had a claw raised above her brow, poised in a salute-looking position as her maroon eyes swept over glittering walls surrounding the renowned kingdom. “Emily says the sword is somewhere in </span>
  <em>
    <span>there,” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Scorpia pointed her free pincer in the direction of the castle, a beautiful array of opal-esque walls separating it from the quaint village around them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They’d barely taken a few steps into what would soon be a revolving, ever-progressing society, the likes of which much of Etheria had considered a paragon; it was what made the kingdom of Brightmoon unique, and all who lived within its walls were grateful to the perennial reign of valkyrie Queen Angella for such guidance and care. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Entrapta squinted at the looming castle, as if the structure wasn’t large enough to come into focus already and instead needed some refined visionary assistance to glimpse it properly. “In </span>
  <em>
    <span>there? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Are you sure?” She flipped down the welding mask over her face, lifted it up, pushed it back down, and repeated the process once more. “I trust Emily’s judgement, but we</span>
  <em>
    <span> are</span>
  </em>
  <span> a few days behind on the sword’s trail… Hmm.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The two of them hadn't known each other for very long, but it was clear that Entrapta, perhaps due to her vast knowledge of demons and other rare magical creatures, had begun to also understand the muffled barks and coos that Emily sometimes shared with them. There were, of course, other times when Scorpia seemed to be the only one who understood what one of Emily’s little noises meant, and this she believed was due to her and the demon having originated from the same place. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Scorpia nodded resolutely. “Yep, pretty sure. Emily’s got the sniffer for the job, so there’s no doubt about it,” the woman answered, her mind separating from the issue at hand as she stopped to wave briefly at a child at the side of the road. “Oh, hi! Hello! Nice to meet you, little guy-” she bent down, hoping that if she made herself smaller it might make her seem a bit less intimidating (at least in stature, so her thought process was). “I don’t mean to bother you while you’re playing but, we’re also looking for something really cool--have you seen a couple of girls with a sword come by here recently? Maybe earlier this week or so-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her benign interrogation was interrupted as the child suddenly burst into tears, and forgetting they ever even owned such an entertaining pig-skin ball, raced off back into town, a trail of dirt and torn grass flung slapdash behind. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well </span>
  <em>
    <span>he</span>
  </em>
  <span> wasn’t any help,” Entrapta muttered a bit too loudly to be considered thoughtful as Scorpia stood back up to her normal, towering size. “Maybe he had to go home because it’s lunchtime?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Within Scorpia’s chest there occurred a sporadic tugging, as if someone had managed to plow past the bones caging her sternum together and squeeze the tender muscle beating wildly behind it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was fear in the child’s eyes, she realized; this factor was yet another thing Scorpia hadn’t predicted but now knew might complicate things a bit more than spooky green lightning in a mountain canyon ever could...</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe,” Scorpia’s voice, shaky and weaker than she had hoped,  escaped through wind-chapped lips. “But something tells me that people might not be too happy to see us…” </span>
  <em>
    <span>Or at least </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>I </em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>won’t be too welcomed...Did Hordak ever mention anything about a bad reception? I really don’t want to see any pitchforks and torches...Now that I think about it, maybe at legionnaire orientation they mentioned surface dwellers haven’t seen my kind in a while. I can’t really remember...Darn you, refreshment table. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The muddled conglomeration of worries and fears stockpiling in Scorpia’s mind were flung out a window when one of Entrapta’s pigtails smacked her in the back harder than the buff woman thought the other girl was capable of. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nothing to worry about, haha! I’m sure he had somewhere to be; no one would run away from us! We’re nice people,” Entrapta’s soothing words provided a much-needed balm to Scorpia’s ego, and the latter’s nerves believed it the perfect chance to reconvene.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Right,” Scorpia watched as Entrapta flashed a brilliant smile her way, one unknowing and completely dismissive of any preoccupations either in the past or future. It was a smile that encouraged Scorpia’s facial features to match Entrapta’s own, and without any more hesitation the scorpion spawn obliged with a shy grin. “What do you say we find someplace to get lunch?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A wonderful idea!” Entrapta called out, her hair waving chaotically behind her like a set of extremely long, unruly, purple pennons. “Perhaps a local Brightmoon eatery? We’ve been out of tiny food for a while...The tiny leaves and acorns don’t really cut it.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As if on cue, both of Scorpia’s and Entrapta’s stomachs grumbled, announcing their undying urgency to devour something tastier than the few berries, mushrooms, and occasional small creatures they found when the items were available (or trapped).</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>One visit to a clothing store and a couple of silver shards later (this type of payment--fragments of precious metals--Scorpia learned, was favored by alchemists such as Entrapta), Scorpia stood outside of a Brightmoon tavern with her companions. The particular edifice, planted squarely in between a row of other shops and pubs, had been chosen in a joint agreement because of the hanging wooden sign carved in the shape of a daisy. Both Scorpia and Entrapta had thought the symbol was rather amiable, and the folding wooden menu sitting atop the cobbled street offered further bribes with the mention of a daily dessert buffet. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> “So...Here we go, I guess?” Scorpia forced down a knot in her throat as she swallowed, pulling the hood of the deep burgundy cloak Entrapta had helped her purchase around her head more closely. “Lunch at </span>
  <em>
    <span>Plumeria’s Finest.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” </span>
  <em>
    <span>Walking into the clothing shop was already kinda bad...I think the owner must have soiled his pants when I walked in. Hopefully this cloak will help me draw less attention.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A deep inhale of crisp Brightmoon air, riddled with the comforting but new scents of warm, melted sugar, citrus fruits, and blossoming sweet alyssum, and then Scorpia was back to reinforcing positive thoughts. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Hold on, Scorpia--don’t be a downer. I’m sure it’ll be fine! I’m a decorated legionnaire, and I’m brave, smart, loyal, and give great hugs. I can do this. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Placing a pincer on the wooden door she inhaled deeply, leading the way for her crew as they embarked on an adventure of a different kind...One where the three of them would strive to appear as normal customers within the confines of an ornamental, homely restaurant.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The door opened with a gentle nudge of Scorpia’s well-built arm, and the woman barely managed to dodge a cheese and spinach quiche that whizzed past her head at a blinding speed (the object would have definitely given her a buzz cut if it got any closer, that’s for sure).  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Galloping griffins-” Scorpia launched herself through the doorway with Entrapta and Emily not far behind; she could feel their little bodies pressed up against her taut back, Entrapta’s own tense with excitement while Emily’s cold form startled goosebumps across her skin. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Someone drawled a very prolonged, very miffed sort of groan, and as soon as Scorpia had regained her nerves after another encouraging pep talk to herself--another barrage of flying brunch items and desserts didn’t help in alleviating her stress--one of the waitresses, a tanned girl with deep, cerulean hair, lowered one of the platters she’d been using as a makeshift shield. It seemed that whoever had dared to assault her and the new customers by means of edible artillery had obviously been more than acquainted with the highly offended server before them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ve told you for </span>
  <em>
    <span>the last time! </span>
  </em>
  <span>This isn’t the place to be putting on a show, Seahawk!” Before Scorpia or Entrapta could reach out a hand and ask if they could grab a table for three the girl stormed off, leaving an aghast (and very, very hungry) Scorpia, Entrapta, and Emily to fend for themselves.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But Mermista! You simply </span>
  <em>
    <span>must </span>
  </em>
  <span>have some entertainment for the guests, no? Any respectable tavern--especially one so quaint and charming as this one--deserves an equally quaint and charming entertainer! All I ask in return is five square meals a da-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I swear you’re trying to get me fired.” Another aggravated groan, this time followed by the warbling pleas for mercy of some man on the other side of the restaurant. The sound of food colliding with the floor made its way into Scorpia’s ears before a hardy yet nervous guffaw was quieted by the din of the server’s platter meeting someone’s face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Entrapta tugged on the back of Scorpia’s woolen cloak, her giddy and very unexpected laugh floating over Scorpia’s shoulder. “Did you see that? They have entertainment too! We picked the perfect place, haha!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I...don’t think that was part of the meal, Entrapta.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The cries of the mustached man on the other side of the restaurant grew more audible as the waitress who’d mauled him moments before dragged him away by the collar of his jacket; it seemed as though a majority of the tavern hadn't even been bothered by the unruly combat scene between the server and the guest, and had more or less resumed their quotidian efforts to finish their plate of buffet desserts or down a third cup of steaming, savory tea.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Legionnaire Scorpia had never been so confounded by such a rivalry within a restaurant--of course she’d seen (and been in) a few of her own bar fights within the Underworld when she and her crew had dissipated after rounds to retire with a jug of stale beer…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But here on the surface? In Brightmoon? Maybe surface dwellers were more fearsome than she’d initially thought.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A flurry of honey blonde hair and lavish flower petals, a combination that elegantly brought to attention the adorable, freckled face of a new individual in front of them, caught Scorpia and Entrapta slightly off guard. “I am so </span>
  <em>
    <span>so </span>
  </em>
  <span>sorry! Usually that doesn’t happen so early on in the day, haha.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Entrapta blinked a few times in thought with heavily furrowed brows, most likely studying the possible interpretations of such a vague explanation. “So it happens often..? Fascinating.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The slender girl in front of them cracked a nervous grin, and with a shaky hand pulled back a strand of loose hair to tuck it into the flower crown cradling her head. “Anyways, thank you for stopping by! I hope the ruckus didn’t cause you to lose interest in dining here with us.” An decorous courtesy was delivered, and Scorpia found herself awed by the hospitality shown. “My name is Perfuma, by the way! I’m the owner of this restaurant. May I ask how many are in your party?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sweat beaded at the sides of Scorpia’s temples. She wasn’t quite sure why such a mundane question was forcing her heart to beat away in her chest like a hummingbird in a cage, but despite the nausea clawing at the inside of her stomach she took a deep inhale, made sure her tail was tucked away inside the depths of her cloak, and mustered again the courage she had just a split second before the corybantic quiche had attempted severing her head from the rest of her body. “There’s three of us. We were hoping to do the dessert buffet.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course! Right this way.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Entrapta, once shuffling avidly behind her towering, muscled friend, had somehow managed to hurtle herself over Scorpia’s shoulder and announce something of her own (probably with the help of her strange, animated pig tails). “Excuse me, do you have tiny food here?!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before Scorpia had the chance to add anything to her friend’s question Perfuma laughed, and immediately the melodious sound seized the splintered remains of Scorpia’s anxiety, amiably disposing of them somewhere far, far away. “Tiny food? If you’re talking about desserts and other teeny, delicious morsels then yes--you came to the right place. Everything we provide here is grown or sourced here in Brightmoon, or imported from Plumeria up north; there’s lots of delicacies and classic pastries for you to try!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With a flutter of her elegant fingers Perfuma presented Scorpia, Entrapta, and Emily with an empty table; the homey, liquid-stained wood was inviting, warped and glossy due to years of service, and Scorpia carefully took a seat, wary of keeping her tail and claws mostly hidden. Emily and Entrapta flung themselves onto the cushioned bench across from her, and the bystanding restaurant owner covered her mouth to muffle a timid laugh. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If you don’t mind me asking: you three aren’t from around here, are you?” Perfuma’s dark irises scanned the three faces staring back at her: first Entrapta’s saucer-like eyes, Scorpia’s shadowed visage, and finally Emily’s single, blaring red orb hovering in the center of her pitch form. “I have to say I’ve never seen a-” She motioned to Emily very briefly, unsure of what exactly she was trying to describe.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Emily?” Entrapta wrapped an arm around the gaseous form of the demon sitting beside her, Emily making excited panting noises while the scientist reined her in with a hug. “She’s a shadow demon from the Underworld! Scorpia brought her along so that we can find the sword more easily. Isn’t she beautiful?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Another nervous laugh from Perfuma, and Scorpia could have sworn that their new server was backing away slowly, probably to warn the other staff about the three malicious vagabonds sitting at booth number six.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Without sparing much time to think, Scorpia threw herself into the conversation before any other obstructive assumptions could be created; she desperately hoped that what Entrapta had said hadn't raised any red flags. “Shadow demon, right! They’re not really a demon--it's just the name!--uh, it’s a newly discovered species of wisp. Entrapta named them herself--right, Entrapta?” She was practically pleading with the other girl across the table to follow suit with the imaginative </span>
  <span>façade</span>
  <span>, allowing what felt like a dreadful, strained eternity to pass by as Entrapta processed and finalized the secretive social interaction with a nod.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Ohhhhh</span>
  </em>
  <span>, right! Right, </span>
  <em>
    <span>right</span>
  </em>
  <span>--a new will o’ wisp species! Very new, yes. Fun fact: they have red eyes because they like feasting on the blood of innocents.” A deranged laugh wound its way through the air between the four individuals, and more than anything Scorpia wanted to facepalm into both of her pincers. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Really? That’s...Kind of cool--creepy, but cool! Congrats on your discovery too. As long as Emily doesn’t eat any of the guests here, you’re fine with staying,” Perfuma lazily curled her fingers around the menu cards for a moment, fiddling with the idea around in her brain of such a brilliant new revelation. It was rare to see such visitors within the kingdom of Brightmoon, especially those of which she didn’t know their origin...These three were definitely from the outer regions. Perhaps she could chat with them more later. “I hope you’re hungry! Here is the menu, ladies; let me know what you’d like for your first course. I’ll bring you some tea in the meantime.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Within the same second that Perfuma scurried off somewhere to grab the drinks, Entrapta and Emily snatched one of the menus that had been left on the table’s edge, the purple-haired girl hastily reading off each and every dessert option available to herself and the demon (though Scorpia was sure the shadow demon didn’t know what anything listed might have been anyways). </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Scorpia looked back and forth a few times frantically, and when she was finally content with the assertion that everyone else in the tavern was more buried within their own food or discussion than paying attention to her, she raised a sheepish claw to begin scanning the menu. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Here are your drinks!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Three simmering cups of amber-colored tea were gracefully placed down in the center of the table, and realizing that Perfuma was indeed back with their beverages Scorpia jolted with surprise in her seat. Unfortunately with the sporadic action the menu in between her pincers underwent mitosis, splitting into two smaller versions of itself that wilted sadly in Scorpia’s grasp. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m </span>
  <b>SO</b>
  <span> sorry!!” She was frantically trying to piece together the menu halves, hoping that by the power of dedicated will she’d be able to fuse the paper back together. Her large pincers were a blur, and it was only when Scorpia finally registered that Perfuma was absolutely silent and not screaming or cowering behind an empty tray that she let the shredded menu carcass flutter onto the table. “I uh, I-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She found a warm hand on her armored shoulder, tender and gossamer-light as it floated over the needle-like spikes that protruded from her exoskeleton beneath the cloak. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s alright. There’s no reason to be nervous; at least not around me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Scorpia winced. She could no longer recall the personal mantra she’d curated so many years ago, the one which she’d whispered to herself every single day upon waking up each morning in an eternally dark world. It was the one that brought her courage, that reminded her of who she was.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After a labored moment she convinced her eyes to stop trying to bore holes into the wooden table before her, and upon looking up there awaited a kind, forgiving smile. “Anyone is welcome here in my restaurant. It doesn’t matter who you are.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Perfuma’s smile never left. Throughout the entirety of their stay in </span>
  <em>
    <span>Plumeria’s Finest</span>
  </em>
  <span> with a surreal array of tiny desserts and numerous cups of spiced tea, those which warmed Scorpia from the top of her head all the way down the the tip of her tail, Perfuma’s smile remained constant--it came back time and time again, whether to ask if there were anything the restaurant owner could provide or by simply wafting into Scorpia’s once affrighted mind to deliver a subtle sense of peace.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And so when the fifth course had been brought to their table and Scorpia’s stomach was nearly bursting with tea-drenched pastries, she finally allowed the most important thoughts the opportunity to recollect. “Entrapta?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The other girl looked up from her plate rather quickly, a halo of powdered sugar dusting the circumference of her pink lips and creating the illusion of what looked like a very light, very trim white beard to Scorpia. “Mmf?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t really know how to say this...But we don’t know if Brightmoon is a good place yet.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wha oo meah?” Entrapta retorted, forcing Scorpia to fold her pincers together worriedly. The food was absolutely astounding and the hospitality out-of-this-world; what else could possibly matter when it came to deducing if a kingdom was “good” or not?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Scorpia watched as her purple-haired companion downed another sizable quantity of beignets dripping raspberry syrup, and unable to meet Entrapta’s eyes she allowed her gaze to stray out the window. Brightmoon castle, the lavish towers sparkling daintily in the sunlight, blinked back at her behind the regal walls that spanned the perimeter of the regal edifice. What were the people inside the castle like? Where they like the terrified child they’d met on the road? Maybe reluctant but willing to cooperate, like the shopkeeper? Or perhaps they were generous and undiscriminating, like Perfuma? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There really was no way to tell.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And being the soldier she was, Scorpia had surmised through the procession of each round of dessert to another, was that all they could do was be careful and avoid contact with as many castle personnel as possible.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And there was only one way to do that. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Perfuma has been wonderful! She’s very kind and pretty and her baking is to die for…” An embarrassed laugh, and then Scorpia was back to business. “Sorry, I’m getting off topic. What I’m </span>
  <em>
    <span>trying</span>
  </em>
  <span> to say is--even if she’s been nice to us, we don’t know if the people in Brightmoon castle will be nice to us too. They might be scared. Or mean. Gosh, I really hope it isn’t mean...But if it is, we need to be prepared.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Upon hearing Scorpia’s assertive claim, both Emily and Entrapta looked up from their feasting; Entrapta’s startled, wonder-filled eyes and Emily’s single red iris meet the legionairre’s stern face, right as she was ready to deliver the marrow of her gravely-narrated oration. Their attention had successfully been captured.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re going to need to sneak into Brightmoon castle.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>i'm not dead, i promise! just working a lot...and procrastinating about writing. so my apologies, everyone. and my gratitude to those of you who are still reading this story. :') </p>
<p>procrastination wasn't the only obstacle that i struggled with on this chapter...i probably spent the most time writing and re-writing the scene where catra and adora confront each other. there was a variety of ways the scene could have gone, and i debated originally going with an approach where things ended on a lighter note. what you read here is the version i thought would flow best with the rest of the story and would support what i have planned further down the road. if you have any thoughts/questions about their discussion i'm eager to hear them! catra's more than a bit emotionally constipated, as you already know lmao. </p>
<p>also i realize we went far too long without seeing scorpia, entrapta, and emily...it's been like, 5 chapters i think?? i'm so sorry, writing is difficult skljs but they were always meant to become critical characters in the latter half of the story! :'D so you'll definitely be seeing them in each chapter from now on. as always thank you for reading, and i hope you are all doing well!! love you, and hopefully i will see you sooner next time &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>leave a comment if you'd be so kind! i'd really appreciate some feedback; again, it's been too long since i've last published/updated anything on this site.  </p>
<p>thank you for choosing azuki airlines, and enjoy the rest of the ride o7</p></blockquote></div></div>
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